I Never Thought My Life Would Depend On A CAMERA
by PsychoticSushi
Summary: Side-Story to "I Hate You, My Friend". Luna was a fool to think her past was happy. How bad could it possibly be, though, right? Bad enough to lure her to a snow-covered manor armed with nothing but a flashlight, camera...and Naruto. Yeah, she's screwed.
1. And So It Begins

**This picks up where my Naruto fic left off; i just posted it on this one so it would be easier to follow.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Luna bit back a laugh at the stricken expression on Iruka's face as she slowly edged towards the door.

"Um...I think I'll let _you_ explain it, Iruka. From a fellow dude's point of view."

"But-"

"Good luck!" She threw over her shoulder quickly before bolting out the door.

Luna lingered in the hallway long enough to hear Iruka let out a long sigh before clearing his throat nervously. "Well, you see, Naruto...When a girl reaches a certain age.."

She had to get going before she collapsed with giggles.

_**

* * *

**_

_**FORTY-FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

After practically beating it out of the drunken Hokage ("It was Shizune's birthday!" was her excuse _this_ time as to how she got so wasted), Luna finally found the location of Kira's mother's house.

_Her _grandmother's house.

_Grandmother_. Actually calling someone that was an entirely new concept to her; practically foreign.

Luna knocked several times, but there was no answer. Finally, she sighed and just shot the lock, beyond impatient at this point. Hungry for more information about herself.

"...Hello?"

The house was in utter disrepair. Books were scattered all over the floor, junk was overflowing out of the spare closet, and as for the sink...Well, even _Naruto_ would've cringed at it.

She could've _sworn_ a few of the dishes moved.

Luna was fiddling with a random knicknack when some woman in a ratty and worn nightgown came shuffling in.

If she hadn't been able to sense chakra, Luna would've been toast. She just barely dodged a high-powered ball of energy.

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Ma'am, I mean you no harm. I'm Luna...Kira's daughter?"

The woman slowly lowered her hand, staring. Luna shivered; it was as if she could see right through her to her soul.

"Humph. You _do_ look like her. Are you just as much of a pain in the ass?"

"Excuse me?"

"She disappeared years ago. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I do. Do you know what happened to her?"

"Nope. Don't wanna know."

Luna cocked her head with interest. "Forgive me, but I'm confused. She's your daughter."

Her grandmother whipped out a pipe and lit it with a match. How she found it amidst all the junk was beyond Luna.

"What's your point?"

"Well...Mothers and daughters are supposed to love each other, and take care of one another whenever they're needed," Luna explained slowly.

The woman nearly choked on her pipe, she laughed so hard. "That's a good one. You're funny, kid."

"But...I wasn't joking. That's what parenting's all about."

"And how would you know? Do you have a kid? Huh?"

Luna flushed. Normally she was immune to people like this, who kept making her second-guess what she was taught, but this woman...well, quite frankly scared her a little.

Her eyes were a flashing hazel, a striking contrast to her pale and wrinkled skin. Unlike Luna and Kira, her hair was a mess of blond poof flying out from her face.

She probably looked pretty at one time, but age didn't do her grandmother much good.

And that shriveled nightgown...Well, let's just say if Luna had seen her running towards her at night, she would've beat her with a pipe before she got mugged. _If that's how I'm gonna look when I get old...I might have to kill myself._

"No. I don't."

"Well then, hush your mouth. When you have kids of your own you can come tell me the right and wrong methods of parenting. Now, what the hell are you doing here?"

* * *

"I was wondering what you could tell me about my family. Your family."

She stared at Luna for a long time, making smoke signals with her pipe. It took all her 15 years of interrogation training not to squirm under the old lady's hard gaze.

Finally, she spoke. "Luna, is it?" She nodded eagerly.

"Some things...Some things are better left unknown. Some things are meant to stay in the dark."

"Could you at least tell me...What happened to me after my mom disappeared?"

She stared at her some more while taking a few drags off the pipe, then finally nodded slowly. "I suppose you deserve that much. Master Jiraiya and I took you somewhere, he never told me where we went. I believe some other village. It was a _strange_ village, with lots of odd buildings and devices of which I myself have never seen. There was a nice-looking family waiting. A woman, man, and little boy, a little older than yourself."

Luna waited anxiously for her to continue, rapt with attention, but the woman got up instead. "I believe that's all you need to know. As they say, the rest is history."

"But...Please...I don't remember-" Luna cut herself off with a yell of surprise as her grandmother threw something at her. It was a necklace; a pale sphere with lighter-colored cloud designs all over it. It hung from a simple copper cord.

She nodded at the necklace, then at Luna. "That was your mother's. Family heirloom. I dunno if you're the _exact_ _same_, but in Kira's case...the necklace did odd things. Mystical things. She _always_ knew when things were about to go wrong.."

And with that, she shuffled towards the back of the house.

"Wait!"

Silence.

Luna sighed and glanced at the necklace before leaving, slipping it around her neck carefully.

* * *

"Luna, I am so so _so_ sorry you're a girl!" Naruto practically shouted at her as soon as she returned to the hospital.

She sweatdropped, and Iruka just laughed nervously as Naruto dragged her out. "Is it your time of the month right _now_? Does your stomach hurt? Should I leave you alone for a few days? You're not gonna kill me, are you? Oh, here, you can have this back."

He handed her the worn tampon, and Luna nearly gagged before throwing it behind her. It landed in some crazy old woman's lap, and she kept saying, "I remember when _I_ needed these!" over and over as she was wheeled away.

Luna's temple throbbed as Naruto continued to bombard her with questions. "NARUTO!" He stopped mid-sentence and eyed her warily. "Oh. Crap. It IS your time of the month!"

She huffed. "No, it's not, actually. But I would _love_ _it_ if you would stop asking me questions involving my period. Please. Or anything that has to do with puberty in general. You _do_ know what puberty is, don't you?"

He waved her off. "Duh. What do you take me for, a moron?"

Luna sweatdropped and opened her mouth to say something, but just shook her head. "It's too easy, I'm just gonna leave that one alone for now."

_**

* * *

**_

_**NINETEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

Naruto randomly pointed towards her chest. "Whoa, where'd that come from?" He asked with interest.

Luna sweatdropped. "I thought you said you knew about puberty?"

He sweatdropped as well. "Um, I was talking about your necklace."

She turned about five shades of red and swatted his hand away as he snickered. "O-Oh. Psh, I knew that! Chyeah. And...It's just a necklace," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I _noticed _it was 'just a necklace'. But where'd you get it?"

"Nowhere."

"So what, it just randomly showed up?"

"Yup."

"_Pleeease _tell me?"

"No."

"I'll tell you word-for-word what Iruka said about periods if you don't. And trust me, it was _interesting_," he warned.

Luna held up her hands in surrender as he opened the door. "Okay, okay, fine! My grandmother. Apparently I have one. It was my mom's, according to her."

His eyes widened with excitement. "What's she like? Your granny."

She laughed nervously. "Well...Quite frankly, she scares the crap out of me."

He sweatdropped. "You just can't catch a break, can you?"

* * *

As if on cue, her phone rang, vibrating against the kitchen counter and making them both jump.

Luna peered down at it, then jumped back as if she were burnt. "Damn, it's him again."

Naruto rolled his eyes and flipped the phone over so she couldn't see the ID. That wasn't good enough for her, so she threw it against the fridge. It stopped ringing, and she grinned at the cell phone smugly. "HA! Luna- 28, Technology-1."

"One?"

"Yeah, the first time he called, remember?"

"Oh, right, right. Well, that doesn't count."

"It does to me."

"Whatever, Luna."

_

* * *

_

_This wasn't her usual dream. Luna was standing at the entrance of an old manor, and it was snowing. _

_Was that...tombstones to her right? And some kind of song on the wind? Creepy children voices were singing it, from what she could gather. _

_She shuddered and continued looking around. Her eyes landed on a door, and she gulped._

_Somehow she knew that as soon as she went through that door, she would never be the same. _

_And not in a good sense. Not at all._

_Luna shook her head quickly. "Dammit, I'm an Agent! I'm the sheer embodiment of KICK-ASS. I can DO this!" She muttered determinedly as she yanked open the giant double-doors._

_Her courage quickly faded as she took in the creepiness of the place. She had barely taken two steps when she heard ragged breathing and the figure of a man appeared in the room right in front of her. _

_Luna bit back a gasp as she realized the figure was...transparent._

_A ghost? Impossible._

_Then again, she pretty much made her living off of the impossible. _

_Of course, she thought of all this WHILE she was running like an idiot around the room, sighing in relief when she was undetected by the ghost._

_She turned into another room with a couple large kimonos on the left wall, and not much else. Although there WAS a shiny object on a narrow table. _

_Luna carefully picked up the object, and realized it was film. Type 14. For a...camera? "Well, what the hell am I supposed to do with THIS?" She wondered out loud._

_It was then she noticed the doll._

_

* * *

_

_Out of all the things in her "profession" that should scare her, the only thing she was truly afraid of was, in fact...dolls._

_She stared at this one in horror as it slowly turned its head upwards to look at her. Luna then ran out of the room and into a different hallway than the one she came from. "Screw that, no creepy dolls for me, thanks!"_

_She stopped mid-sprint as she felt her whole body throb. There was a spirit nearby. She felt the same thing when the heavy-breathing-guy had appeared._

_Luna shook her head quickly and continued walking at a brisk pace. "Nope, nope, I don't wanna know, I do NOT wanna know!" _

_Everything was going fine until she passed by a mirror. She practically flew past it, scared to death some kind of Grudge Girl was going to pop out at her from it._

_But instead she saw a blue woman walking in the opposite direction in the other hallway, which was visible through grid-like bars to her right. _

"_I don't want to see...any more..." She said in a sad whisper before she disappeared. _

_"That makes two of us," Luna muttered to herself. She felt strong pressure from the ghost, and shuddered before walking again._

_As if that blue woman hadn't been enough, a man with a sword came out of the walls, lunging for her. _

_Luna knew she was no match against the dead, and ran for the nearest door. Flinging it open, she saw a familiar lady on the other side._

_She smiled at her, which just made Luna more confused. "Luna. It's been a long time."_

_Everything went white before she could even process what just happened, and suddenly she was laying on a wooden floor._

_

* * *

_

_Her whole body felt heavy. Luna looked down to see herself dressed in a white kimono, and four girls were positioned at each of her hands and feet. _

_They were holding... "Oh my God." _

_Stakes and mallets._

_They seemed happy, and as each stake came in contact with her skin, a strange pattern appeared and ran up her body._

_It would make a cool tattoo if it weren't so cold and painful all at once._

_The four girls held the stakes with steady hands, raising their mallets. Luna squeezed her eyes shut, braced for the stakes' impacts, but none came._

* * *

"Luna! Luna, it's okay, you're okay."

For the first time in her life, she had woken up from a nightmare screaming and with a cold sweat. The thunks of the mallets were still ringing in her ears, as if they had actually impaled her.

She realized she was shaking a little. No wonder Naruto looked freaked out. She had _never_ looked scared at this degree before, not even when Alex first called. "What the hell kind of dream were you _having_?"

Luna checked her hands and feet; normal. Intact. Not impaled. No tattoo. She then slowly looked up at Naruto, genuine worry in her eyes.

That "dream" was way too real. The _pain _was way too real. Her head was still throbbing from all the spiritual pressure.

"What did you say?"

"I _said_, 'What the hell kind of dream were you having?'"

Luna couldn't help but laugh in a tone that suggested it was anything BUT funny.

"_That_, Naruto, is a very good question."


	2. ENTER, Rei Kurosawa

Naruto had somehow managed to calm her down, and she finally told him about it between bites of her Pop-Tart.

"...Not to be a jerk or anything, but I thought you agents were prepared for _everything_."

Luna sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "That's the thing. With my job, I've never felt helpless before. I've _never_ been in a situation where I didn't know what to do. That's what made it so scary, almost scarier than the ghosts themselves. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know if it was real..."

She looked at her hands again, popping the rest of her Pop-Tart into her mouth. "I don't have any proof...But I know it was real, I'm certain of it..."

He nodded. "I believe you. I'm just gonna go ahead and say it; that sucks."

"Yeah, I know."

"Do you think it'll happen again?"

She met his eye for the first time since she woke up. "Most definitely. My shitty luck more-or-less _certifies_ that it will."

He couldn't help but grin at that, and she smiled a little too. Then she sighed and stretched. "I guess I have no choice but to get up now. No way in hell am I going back to sleep."

_Luna was back. But...she woke up in a different part of the giant House of Horrors this time. "God, I hate this place. With a passion."_

"_I do too, and I haven't even taken a step yet." She screamed in spite of herself, but then her temple throbbed as Naruto started laughing his ass off. _

"_Naruto! Dammit, that wasn't funny!"_

_He nodded despite his laughing fit. "Yeah it was. Admit it." _

"_What...What're you doing here?" Before he could reply, they heard shuffling. "Huh?"_

_They looked around, and Naruto tapped her shoulder rather hard before pointing spastically down the hall. A woman ran up a couple stairs, and they heard the creak of her opening a door. _

_They both gulped._

_Naruto looked at Luna._

_She looked at him._

"_...We're gonna follow her like the dumb teens in a scary movie would, aren't we?" _

_She sighed heavily. "I know, I know. Might as well go outside and investigate a strange noise when a serial killer's on the loose or something. But right now, that's all we CAN do."_

_They took their sweet time down the hallway, but all too soon they had reached the door. She slowly opened it, and they saw a series of wide open rooms._

_After glancing at each other, they slowly made their way through. Luna noticed that, somehow, they both had flashlights. _

_She decided not to question it and inched through the rooms. "Oooh, shiny!" Naruto randomly informed her. _

_He picked it up, then made a face. "Type 14? What's this supposed to do?" Luna shook her head. "I dunno, I picked one up last time, too. Just keep it; you never know."_

_He shrugged and stuck it in his jacket pocket. They continued through the rooms, and finally found one with a door. _

_Luna gulped as she noticed the doll sitting on the dresser. Naruto noticed it and decided to look through that same exact dresser._

"_Aw, nothing." She practically dove for the door, but before she could open it, the doll fell off the dresser, making them both jump with a yell. _

_Her temple throbbed. "You just HAD to search THAT dresser, didn't you, Naruto?"_

_A slow grin spread onto his face. "WAIT a minute...You're scared of dolls, AREN'T you?"_

_She shushed him as if someone might be lurking around to make fun of her for it. "Yes, yes, now could you shut UP?"_

"_Fine, fine. Jeez. Wound up much?"_

"_Yes, yes I am. In fact, I'm VERY wound up," she was saying as they passed a blue lantern and headed for the stairs. _

_After going up the stairs, they ended up in a hallway full of MORE staircases. They looked at each other, then shrugged and decided to go up the first staircase. _

_Before they could, though, they heard a very ominous noise from behind them. They turned to look, and saw something moving down at the end of the hallway. _

_Three...shadow people were heading towards what Luna assumed was a door, but it was hard to make out what was what from their distance._

_She tugged on his sleeve, and he followed with a groan. "No wonder you were so scared...You have a knack for making the stupidest moves in scary situations!"_

_Luna stuck out her chin defiantly before opening the door the shadow people had gone through. "Maybe it's just because us Agents are trained to be brave."_

"_Or stupid."_

"_Brave."_

"_Stupid."_

"_BRAVE."_

"_STUPID."_

"_BRAVE!"_

"_STUPID!" _

_They quickly stopped arguing after noticing flashes and sounds of struggle. Both their protective instincts kicked in, and they ran through the hallway to reach the entrance to the room. _

_Before he could go in, Luna tugged him back and stared him down. He almost expected her to pin him to the wall like she had the first day of their cover._

"_Naruto, remember. These people are dead. Therefore, kunais are useless against them. These targets, since they're shadows, also happen to be transparent. Really, all we can do is grab the person in danger and run like hell. Got me?"_

_He nodded, then smirked. "And YOU remember that bullets won't help either."_

_She rolled her eyes. "Duh."_

_They charged into the room, and it took a minute to try and process what was going on. The shadows were there, advancing towards a woman who was obviously alive, and another woman was hunched over in the corner._

_The first thing Luna did was shout, "Are you alright? What the hell's going on?"_

_The reason she was shouting was because Naruto had gotten the gun from her pocket and was currently wasting her bullets spastically._

_Luna slowly turned to look at him, temple throbbing menacingly. He slowly stopped shooting and handed her the gun with a nervous laugh. "Sorry...Instinct?"_

_She rolled her eyes again. "Nice try. Moron..."_

_They watched on as the woman fended off the shadows with her camera, since they didn't have much else to do, and when she was done, she turned towards them._

_They threw up their hands as she lifted the camera towards them. "Whoa, whoa, we're alive!"_

_She slowly put it down. "...Oh. My apologies."_

_Luna waved her off. "Eh, no worries. Do you know what's goi-" "LOOK OUT, SHE'S GONE POSTAL!" Naruto warned, pointing behind the woman._

_She turned, and the other living woman lunged for her. After a few more rounds with her camera, the crazy lady let out a blood-curdling screech before disappearing. _

"_You're not...like...me? None of you?" Her voice echoed throughout the room._

"_...Hell no, we're not like you!" Was Naruto's sensitive reply. Luna smacked him upside the head. "Great, let's piss her off so she'll come back for more! Idiot!"_

_The woman smiled a little. "Who exactly are you two?"_

"_I'm Naruto, and this is Luna, my girlfriend." Jeez, the cover was starting to become normal for them, she could tell._

"_Do you mind telling me what the hell kind of camera that is?" Naruto asked, obviously itching to get one._

"_I'm Rei. Rei Kurosawa. And this is a Camera Obscura, from what I can gather." _

_Naruto leaned towards Luna. "Something tells me she didn't get it from Best Buy." She just sighed and shook her head, making Rei grin again. "No, I didn't. This is no ordinary camera. It has the ability to exorcise ghosts, from what I can gather."_

_Luna was already formulating a plan on how to land one for herself. "Rei, do you know who invented this Camera Obscura?"_

"_His last name is Asou. I can't think of his first name at the moment, sorry."_

"_No, that's perfect. And where are you living as of right now?"_

"_...Um...Japan. Why?"_

_Naruto grinned. "Oh, don't mind her. She interrogates people a lot, this is just how she gets to know people."_

_Luna smiled innocently, and Rei nodded slowly, at least a little convinced. "Okay.."_

"_Care if we tag along? All we have is a gun and some throwing knives."_

_She nodded. "Sure. Company would be nice around this place..." Luna looked around, and felt a spiritual pressure starting to manifest. "You mean living company.."_

_They all shivered, and Rei led the way out of the room. They were in the hallway when the woman appeared in front of Rei._

_All three of them screamed, and as she grabbed Rei's arm, Luna felt herself waking up._

They both shot up with a gasp that time, and Luna covered her face with her hands for a brief moment before jumping off her makeshift-bed.

Naruto ran after her. "Whoa, where're you going? What the _hell_ was that? Is that how _your_ dream was? That was scary as hell! Wait, what're you doing?"

Luna sighed impatiently. "I'm making some phone calls."

She growled in frustration as Alex called again, right on cue.

She answered, then hung up. Naruto laughed. "You're so nice." She shrugged, then dialed Tara's number.

"Hello? Tara, I need some stuff immediately. It's urgent. I hope you have a pen." She didn't, and Luna waited as she grabbed one.

"What're you doing?" He repeated, but Luna just waved him off, pressing a finger to her lips. "Shh."

"Ready? I need information on an inventor with the surname Asou. Obviously, he's Japanese. Also, I need you to check the IOAD for duplicates of a Camera Obscura. Two would be good, but just one is fine as well. And lastly, I need information on a Rei Kurosawa, living in Japan. I need her address, phone number, the works. And I need it _before_ night falls, if at all possible."

With that, she hung up. Naruto blinked. "Um..First off, what's IOAD?"

"International Occult Artifact Database. We have every object used for the communication or exorcisim of ghosts there. And we also make a few clones of each item, for security reasons. Or if an agent needs one for any reason. If you have the right clearance...Piece of cake."

He laughed in disbelief, then flashed her a half-smile. "You know, you were right."

"About what?"

"You ARE kick-ass."

She beamed. "Yes, I know."

_**HOURS****LATER...**_


	3. Luna's NOT Jealous!

**Yay! Two in one day! **

**Finally, some humor instead of confusing/horrifying Fatal Frame-Ness.**

**Oh, by the way..Sorry if my descriptions are CRAP for those of you who haven't played. If you wanna see what something looks like, I'd recommend Google Images. It's hard to describe them all!**

**ALTHOUGH, i WILL describe the characters in more depth...eventually..hopefully...I'd still recommend Google Images XD**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

"We'll be back...soon...now please stop...constricting my airway!" Luna managed to get out while Sakura pretty much hugged her to death.

Sasuke sweatdropped as Naruto attempted to pull Sakura off, which only resulted in her hugging _him_ equally hard.

"So..._Why_ exactly are you two the only ones going on this mission?"

"Because, uh..._because_..."

"Because it involves a fertility scroll, and Tsunade wanted a couple to do it. Well, a couple that actually _admits_ they're a couple," Naruto explained between gasping for air like a moron.

Sasuke and Sakura's temples throbbed. "WE'RE NOT DATING!"

Luna and Naruto exchanged a "Chyeah, OKAY" look. Although Naruto's face was starting to turn a light shade of blue, Luna and Sasuke decided it'd be more entertaining NOT to point this out to Sakura.

Sakura finally dropped him, sighing. "Well, guess we'll see you guys later." Everyone sweatdropped at how simple her statement was compared to the Death-Hugs she gave them.

They waited until Sasuke and Sakura were out of sight, then jumped into the well.

_**

* * *

**_

_**MOMENTS ****LATER...**_

"Nice save, with that fertility scroll bit," Luna said once she climbed out of the well. She waited "patiently" (here meaning tapping her foot anxiously and yelling down "HURRY UP!") for him to climb out as well, then headed for the house Tara was currently waiting in.

"I have my moments," he replied as they dodged a few branches.

"Few, I'm sure."

"You're so nice to me. It's great."

"Yeah, I _am_ pretty great."

Naruto's temple throbbed, and she just shrugged and opened the door. Tara was waiting patiently in the kitchen, eating a grapefruit.

She noticed them and smiled pleasantly. "Hello Luna, Naruto. Right on time."

Luna nodded respectively, and Naruto waved at her, making Luna's temple throb at his simplicity.

Tara just grinned some more and rummaged through a bag. She pulled out two cameras, a few books, and a file.

"The Camera Obscuras- which, let me tell you, were _hell _to get, so you better not drop them or _anything_ of that nature," she warned.

They immediately looked at Naruto, whose temple throbbed. "EHHH? Luna's clumsier than _me_!"

Luna waved him off. "SO not true."

Tara shook her head and continued explaining. "Rei Kurosawa's file; complete with address, phone number, criminal record-"

"Criminal record? _She_ has one?" Naruto said in disbelief.

"Um, no. But her roommate, Miku Hinasaki, has one," Tara explained quickly.

"_Roommate_, you say," Naruto said slyly. Luna rolled her eyes, and Tara's grin grew.

"If I were you, I'd get going. There is a portal to her dimension a few miles southeast of here, and her house is pretty far from it."

They nodded, and Naruto started fiddling with his camera. "Hey, Luna, how do you think this thing wor-"

He accidentally activated the flash, blinding her in the process. "GAH! JEEZ, NARUTO!"

"On the plus side, it made for an interesting picture! Yeah, I think I'll keep this one."

Tara's laughing could clearly be heard before they shut the front door.

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWO ****HOURS LATER...**_

"Hey, Luna?"

"What?"

"Can I see that file? The one about the roommate?"

Luna decided that since they were in a cab, and therefore were stuck side by side for at least another fifteen minutes, to just let him keep himself occupied with the _file_ instead of _her_.

"Whatever," was her reply as she handed it to him. He immediately started flipping through it. "Oooh, she's only 17. Auburn hair, brown eyes- hey, don't _you_ have auburn hair and brown eyes too, Luna?"

She sweatdropped. "Yeah, I do, thanks for noticing. Did you know I'm a _girl_?"

"Well, duh. EVERYONE knows _that_!"

Luna sighed and shook her head as he continued reading. Silently, thank God. UNTIL he reached the criminal record part.

"Hijacking a car? 'Hotwiring'. That's hot."

Her temple throbbed as he continued monologuing. "Hmm, what else...Is there a picture in here? YES, there is! Wow...That is ONE short skirt. Luna, you gotta see this, she's _hot_!"

Her temple throbbed even more. "No. _Thank_. You." She replied in a dangerous tone.

Naruto popped his head up from behind the file, a sly smirk on his face. "Oh, I get it. You're _jealous_!"

"NO."

"Yes you are! I can tell! You, LUNA, are _jealous_!"

"Am not!"

"Jealous, jealous, jealous. Luuuu-_naaa_'s jealous! Jealous of who? Jealous of MIKU! Lunaaa's jealous. Jealous, jealous, _jealous! _She's an agent and she still gets _jeeeeaaaalouuusss_! Miku wears a _short_ skirt, Luna-a _doesn't_, she's green with _envyyyy_, jealous, jealous, jealoussss! _Luna's_-"

She finally punched him in the gut, making him cut off with a groan. The cabbie shook his head at him. "You have _no_ idea how to talk to women, kid."

"I. Am NOT. Jealous. I haven't even _met_ this chick, and neither have you for that matter. SO SHUT THE HELL UP!" She growled.

Naruto stared at her while she faced the window and huffed moodily.

"...Luna?"

"WHAT."

"You're real cute when you're angry, you know that?"

Her temple throbbed. "Naruto, don't be a kiss-ass."

"But I was _serious_!"

"Shut up and read the stupid file if you wanted it so damn bad!"

The cabbie was flat-out laughing at them by this point.

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWENTY-THREE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_**KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.**_

"Do you think Rei'll recognize us?" Naruto asked.

Luna shrugged. "I dunno. Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and _Miku_ will answer the door."

He rolled his eyes, but sure enough, Miku _was_ the one that answered it.

"Holy crap, Luna, you were _right_ for once!"

Her temple throbbed, and Miku eyed them suspiciously. "Can I...help you?"

Luna rolled her eyes at Naruto's expression and decided now was a good time to take over. "Naruto seems rendered incapable of speech at the moment. Is this the Kurosawa house?"

She nodded, looking at Naruto curiously. "Um...Yes, it is. Are you here to see Rei?"

Luna nodded. "Yeah, we're new friends of hers. Can we come in?"

Miku nodded again after deeming them harmless, and Luna held out her hand. "I'm Luna by the way."

She shook it. "Miku Hinasaki."

While Luna took off her shoes by the door, Naruto slid up beside Miku. "I'm Naruto. Currently single." Miku laughed and shook his outstretched hand. "Miku."

Luna rolled her eyes and shook her head as she yanked off her other shoe, and it somehow managed to hit Naruto in the face.

"DAMMIT LUNA!"

"What? It was an honest mistake!" She replied, widening her eyes innocently. He narrowed his eyes. "...I'm watching you, Luna."

"Great, now I'm never sleeping again. That _truly_ mortifies me."

"Then you should be thanking me, you won't have those dreams anymore!"

"Naruto, just go."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"_Fine_!"

"WOULD YOU FOLLOW MIKU, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD?" She finally exclaimed. Miku giggled despite herself and led them into the living room.

* * *

"She's probably in Yuu's room. She mentioned looking for something in there earlier," Miku explained before heading upstairs.

"Who's Yuu?" Naruto wondered out loud.

"Miku's boyfriend."

"WHAT?"

"Yep."

"That wasn't in the _file_!"

"She mentioned it to me earlier. Y'know, while you were busy being a dumbass."

Naruto drooped. "Damn. I thought I was pretty smooth."

Miku came back downstairs. "She's already sleeping. I'm sorry, but you could come by tomorrow."

Naruto groaned. "GREAT! First you have a _boyfriend_, now we have to go ALLL the way back to OUR-"

Luna elbowed him in the ribs. "OW!"

"Our hometown. In...Canada!" She said brightly. Naruto glared at her, and Miku smiled. "Firstly, I don't have a boyfriend. Where on earth would you get _that_ from? And secondly...I _guess_ you could just stay the night. There's plenty of room..."

"Oh, thanks so much," Luna replied. Miku nodded, while Naruto slowly turned to look at her. "_YOU_."

Luna laughed anxiously, backing towards the door that led to the other rooms of Rei's house. "Uhh...Let's not do anything _rash_..."

"You little- You're gonna pay for that, Luna!" He yelled while jumping into a standing position. Miku watched with a sweatdrop as Luna yelped and shut the door in his face.

"Damn you!" He snapped before opening the door.

Miku heard running, yelling, and after about three minutes of that, she sighed. "I guess I'll just go put on my nightwear and check on them before going to bed.."

* * *

Luna tried to outrun him, but space was too limited. She hit a dead end (the door led to a storage closet), and was about to run back down the hallway when she felt a spiritual pressure.

Naruto nearly ran into her, since she was just standing there. "Hey, what gives? _I'm_ supposed to hunt you down, and _you're_ supposed to-"

"Shush."

"Did you just _shush_ me?"

"Yes. Now shush. There's something here."

He sweatdropped. "Like what, the cat?" He pointed to the cat, which was currently walking down the hallway.

Luna slowly inched towards the room surrounded by the long winding strip of hallway, and peered in. Naruto immediately spazzed out.

"HOLY CRAP, IT'S THAT POSTAL LADY FROM LAST NIGHT!"

The aforementioned postal lady was standing in the middle of the room, hunched over and breathing raggedly.

With one final vibration, she was gone.

Luna decided to see what was in there, and Naruto's jaw hit the floor. "Luna, have you NEVER seen scary movies? You never...NEVER EVER EVER...follow the creepy ghosties!"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I've seen scary movies, I love them. But I'm also extremely curious."

Naruto huffed and followed her. "I blame this on your period. You girls go _crazy_ when you're on them."

She sweatdropped. "Naruto, I'm not even ON my period!"

"Oh. I guess you're just _naturally_ crazy."

"So I've been told."

"By who?"

She sweatdropped again. "...YOU. Often." Luna then folded her arms across her middle and inspected the shrine set up in the corner of the room.

Naruto peered at it right over her shoulder, to which she gave him a look. He looked back at her. "What?"

"Personal space. You're currently invading it."

He rolled his eyes and took a step back. "Spazz."

She continued to look at the many pictures and candles on the shrine altar, then nodded. "THIS is Yuu."

Naruto drooped. "Great. Her boyfriend's dead, so that means she's off-_limits_!"

"I don't think he was _Miku's_ boyfriend...He seems a bit too old for her...But right around Rei's age," Luna said slowly.

Naruto pumped his fist. "YES! I MIGHT STILL HAVE A CHANCE!"

Luna sweatdropped. "I should've just let him believe Yuu and Miku were together at one time," she muttered to herself as she followed him back into the den.

* * *

Miku was there, in her pajamas. "Are you two alright? I heard Naruto yelling about some...'Postal Lady'?"

They laughed anxiously. "Yeah, fine. In one piece," Luna said quickly. Miku nodded. "I guess you could just share the couch. This house gets kind of creepy at night."

"Chyeah, no kidding," they muttered under their breath at the same time.

They laughed and waved off the strange look she gave them. "This is great, thanks Miku. We'll be fine."

She nodded and reluctantly went upstairs. "Sweet dreams, Miku!" Naruto called out. They heard a distinct giggle before Miku's door shut.

Luna rolled her eyes and got comfortable. She had only had her eyes closed for about seven minutes when something slumped over her legs.

Temple throbbing, she opened her eyes to see Naruto dead asleep on top of her legs. One hand was behind his head, the other stretched across her thigh haphazardly.

She sighed rather heavily and sat him back up, but he just slumped again and this time landed on her shoulder.

She sighed even heavier and pushed him as hard as possible, causing him to not only hit the couch in the opposite direction, but roll right off.

Luna winced as he hit the floor with a rather loud _**THUD**_, but all he did was roll over and let out one loud snore.

She shrugged and laid back down.


	4. Men In White and Shirtless Blue Bitches

**This is an INSANELY long dream-sequence, so brace yourselves.**

**I'm trying to finish the dream levels in one chapp each, to make it easier for yall, but i don't think that's gonna happen on some of them.**

**Oh well. Enjoy!**

_

* * *

_

_Luna woke up in the room where they had encountered Postal Lady. Rei and Naruto were sitting in the corner, waiting for her._

_They were talking. "Yuu was my fiancee. He did in a car accident almost two months ago, because of my careless driving. It was...It was raining so hard, and the road was slick, I.." Her voice cracked at the end, and she sniffed. _

"_Sorry."_

_Naruto shook his head. "Don't be. It's not your fault, anyways. I'm sure he doesn't blame you, wherever he is."_

_Luna decided now was a good time to sit up; her head immediately started pounding from dam spiritual pressure again. "Our favorite crazy lady's back," was all she said._

_Rei and Naruto turned to look at her, and sure enough, they heard Postal Lady's familiar ragged breathing and the high-pitched sound that came with the Shadow People._

_Naruto jumped right up and pulled out his camera. "I wanna try this thing out so bad."_

_Luna held up a finger. "Um, Naruto, maybe you shouldn't-"_

"_Luna, I got this!" He said defensively as he steadied his camera. A Shadow Person appeared out of the wall._

"_Three O' Clock!" Luna shouted. He turned in that direction and snapped a shot. As that one disappeared, another reappeared._

"_Nine O' Clock!" She shouted._

_Another one tried to flank him on his other side, and she snapped a shot of that one right before it hit him._

_He let out a sigh of relief. "Jeez, Luna, cut it kind of close, didn't ya?" Before she could reply, Postal Lady appeared in front of him, lunging for him._

"_AAAAHHHHH!" He shouted, taking a random picture. Luna took one as well, and she staggered back._

_She looked at him expectantly as Rei took on Postal Lady. He waved her off. "Ehh, thanks, whatever."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "You're so sincere." She then noticed something shiny on the floor, and bent down to pick it up._

_It was an old, half-rusted brass key. She wiped off some grime and squinted to read it; Naruto shined his flashlight on it, scaring the crap out of her._

"_Dammit, Naruto, WARN ME next time!"_

"_You're WELCOME!"_

_She sighed and could just barely make out a pattern. "It looks like a...well. With four corners."_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "So...A square well."_

"_Yeah, but a well with four corners sounds a bit more mysterious and dramatic, don't you think?"_

_Rei smiled. "It's the Four-Point Well key. I know where to take that. Follow me."_

_They followed her to the door, but before Naruto opened it, they heard a very creepy voice talking in the room they had fought Postal Lady in._

_They all looked at each other, and Luna squeezed herself in front of Naruto, opening the door. "Nope, let's just go, I do NOT wanna know!"_

"_I second that," Rei said quickly, following Luna. Naruto groaned. "Aw, you guys! It could've been something cool!"_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Whatever happened to 'Lunaaa, that's such a stupid thing to do in a horror movie!' Huh?"_

_He waved her off. "I have better reflexes. I would have a better chance than you."_

_Of course, almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a creepy woman appeared right behind him._

"_Have you seen...my husband?" She asked in a hoarse voice._

_Luna swore that Naruto got goosebumps, and he turned around with a ninja yell. "Hell no I haven't seen him! Get lost!"_

_Luna rolled her eyes and snapped a picture right as the capture circle turned red, causing the woman to be blasted back. She followed up with several more shots with the red circle, and soon the woman was gone._

_Luna brushed her hands together in a smug "Job Well Done" kind of way, and Naruto huffed. "Yeah, well...I decided you could use a couple glory moments."_

_She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. And for future reference, all you have to do to get them away is wait until the capture circle turns red, THEN shoot a picture. From what the book on Asou's inventions said, it's called the Fatal Frame. Apparently you get combo shots sometimes, as well."_

_With that, she fell into step with Rei. Naruto lingered behind, then stomped after them. "...Showoff."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_They went down a flight of stairs and the first thing they saw was a shelf lined with books and boxes. _

"_Shiny," Luna declared as she picked up some more Type 14. NOW they knew what it was for. Something told her she'd need all the film she could get._

_Rei led them to a spot underneath the stairs, and they stared at the extremely small door. _

"_..It's a...midget door."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Wow. Thanks for that, Naruto. It has such deep meaning."_

_Rei smirked and unlocked the door. "Are you two always like this?"_

"_Pretty much."_

"_Sometimes we're worse."_

"_Oh yeah, that's true. We cause a lot of bodily harm."_

"_Yeah."_

_She swung the midget door open and crawled in. "Sounds like fun."_

_Luna was the last to go in, but she made it just in time to turn the corner and notice several things._

_One, the walls had human-shaped stains on them._

_Two, the stain in front of them was moving. It soon seemed to fade a little, and the stain was...just a creepy stain._

_And three, Naruto had already wandered off and was taking pictures of something. Luna sighed and went after him. He was blocking her view of whatever it was._

"_Naruto? What's so interesting?"_

"_Oh, nothing major...just, you know...A MUMMY HAND POKING OUT OF THE WALL!" He announced, stepping out of her way and gesturing dramatically to...well, a mummified hand poking out of the wall._

_Rei's jaw dropped, Naruto grinned smugly, and Luna just calmly snapped a picture. "Is that all?"_

_This time Naruto's jaw dropped, too. "EHHH? How are you NOT impressed by that?"_

_She sighed. "Naruto, my job deals with stuff like this almost every other assignment. Can we please keep going now?"_

_Naruto huffed and stomped after her. "I hate your job. It's so hard to get you excited over the bizarre and macabre."_

_

* * *

_

_Rei was about to laugh, but they started hearing moans and decided to go through the nearest door to get the hell OUT of there. _

_Naruto opened it, and both girls gasped. "This is.." _

"_Where I had the first dream," Luna finished for her. Rei glanced at her. "You too?" She nodded, walking briskly for the huge double-doors._

_Poor Naruto had no choice but to follow them. Luna tried opening the door, but it was shut tight. She sighed with agitation. "It wasn't locked LAST TIME. Then again, last time it was scary as hell in there."_

"_EXACTLY, so WHY would we wanna go through all that again?"_

"_It's not like we have much place else to go now, do we?" Luna snapped. _

_Rei leaned against the door. "It looks like the lock is in the shape of two mandarins."_

_Both teens sighed. "Great. MORE keys to find. B-e-a-fricking-BEAUTIFUL!" Luna muttered. Rei lingered by the door. "Yuu was in here..."_

_Naruto and Luna exchanged a look. Wasn't Yuu dead? Then Luna realized something. "Everyone here's dead, Naruto."_

_He nodded. "True." They sighed heavily and turned back the way they came. "Back through the Creepy Moaning Midget Door," Naruto said gloomily._

_Rei hesitantly followed them. _

_

* * *

_

_They did fine through most of the passageway, moving as fast as possible. But then the moaning grew louder, and creaking was thrown into the list of Sounds Luna Never Wanted To Hear EVER Again._

_Rei had somehow gotten ahead of them (even though they were hauling ass to get out of there), and before Luna could get to the doorway, something grabbed her from behind. _

_Naruto and Rei started trying to snap pictures, while Luna simply wrenched herself out of her grip and kicked the ghost guy where no guy, living or dead, should ever be kicked._

_He groaned accordingly and staggered back, and Luna took a few Fatal Frames while Naruto took care of the OTHER guy._

_When that was over, Rei's jaw was on the ground, Luna was smug, and Naruto grinned at her. "Did I mention today that you were kick-ass?"_

"_No, I don't think so."_

"_I think it's gonna become daily routine in this place," he said as he opened the door. _

_Luna just grinned at Rei, who gave her a high-five. "I'm gonna try that next time, Luna." __"Go right ahead, I'd love to see that."_

_

* * *

_

_They headed up the stairs, and were walking down the hallway when they saw a man run up the stairs beside Rei. "Get back! Stay away!" He said in a ragged voice._

_Naruto was lucky enough to get a good shot of him before he disappeared, but his pride was ruined as he saw the look the two girls exchanged._

_His face fell. "...We're gonna do the exact opposite of what he said, aren't we?"_

"_Yep," Luna said excitedly as she and Rei dashed up the stairs. Naruto sighed heavily again and ran up there behind them._

_There wasn't much up there; Luna DID notice a red cloak draped over something. She slipped it off and screamed bloody murder._

_Naruto and Rei both whipped their cameras out, but then they sweatdropped. Naruto was the first to say something as Luna started turning redder and redder with embarrassment._

"_...Aw, c'mon Luna. Your face isn't THAT scary."_

_Rei laughed as Luna smacked him upside the head, to which he stuck his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes and headed for a door that she had noticed earlier._

_Luna sighed. Locked. "Crap. Now we need a...'Sleeping Stone'? Yeah, Sleeping Stone."_

_Rei grinned and held up what they assumed to be a Sleeping Stone. "One of the men in white dropped this."_

"_Was it the ghost I owned or you owned?" Luna asked as she fit the stone into the slot._

"_Um, Naruto did the owning, actually."_

_Naruto grinned smugly, but Luna just shrugged. "Whatever." He drooped again. "Luna, you know JUST how to rub my ego in the dirt."_

_She smiled apologetically, then read the inscription on the door. "..'Something-Something-Something The Number Of Pains Etched On The Sleeping Stone'. Great."_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "Does it actually say 'Something-Something-Something'?" She rolled her eyes. "NO, I can't READ what it says."_

"_So technically, it COULD say that."_

_Luna sighed. "Would you shut up and lemme think? ...Thank you," she said brightly. There were several stones there; one had 1 line, one had 2 lines, and one had 3 lines. _

_From what she could gather, they could move, so... _

_She gasped. "I got it!" Thirty seconds and six moves later, the door unlocked itself and she pushed it open._

"_Nice one!"_

_Naruto sniffed importantly. "...I could've done that." "But you didn't," Luna replied in a sing-song voice before going through the door._

_

* * *

_

_She stopped abruptly; they were on the roof._

_His temple throbbed as he followed and accidentally rammed right into her. She stumbled, and he grabbed the back of her shirt._

_Rei stopped just in time, so luckily Luna was able to regain her balance. She was also able to see a little girl on the other side of the roof, grinning at them before vanishing in front of a door._

_Luna pointed to where she had been. "I'm guessing we're heading over there." She started to walk in that direction, but was yanked back and stumbled not-so-gracefully._

_Naruto laughed nervously and let go of her shirt. "Sorry. Forgot I was still holding it."_

_She narrowed her eyes before carefully scaling the roof. "Likely story." She was already at the other door by the time they took five steps, and Naruto sighed._

"_Hey, Rei."_

"_Yes?"_

"_Let's let Luna get this one. She scales rooftops for a living."_

"_What is she, Cat-Woman?" She retorted skeptically. Naruto just laughed and helped her back across. "Yeah, let's go with that."_

_Luna smiled despite herself before opening the door, but that smile soon faded. It was very dark, and small, and reeked._

_So basically, it was like any other room in the manor, minus the small part. _

_So basically, the manor reeked and was insanely dark._

_And basically, Luna was just rambling to avoid the fact that her pulse was skyrocketing._

_She realized this and shook her head before stepping cautiously into the room. She did a quick sweep with her camera, but the filament stayed the same. _

_Usually, if there was a ghost around that wanted a piece of her, the filament turned red. Although, she did notice a random object laying near the edge of the room._

_Luna picked it up and sweatdropped. "A door? And what the hell am I supposed to do with this? Hit ghosts with it?"_

_As if on cue, another man in white appeared, staggering towards her from within the wall. Luna jumped in surprise and decided to try out the door._

_She swung it as hard as she coud...and ended up ripping a hole in the worn fabric of the sliding door with the ghost's head._

_And what's worse? It didn't really affect the ghost whatsoever. _

_Luna groaned with disappointment and snapped a Fatal Frame. Two combo shots later, he was gone, and she sighed heavily._

"_...When am I gonna wake up?"_

"_All too soon."_

_

* * *

_

_She whirled around, and the woman from her very first dream was there. Luna couldn't help but stare in awe. Her skin was extremely pale, practically translucent. Her hair was so dark a shade of black it almost looked blue, and it cascaded down to her waist. She was wearing a kimono that was all white; it looked a lot like the one Luna somehow obtained when those damn kids almost hammered her limbs._

"_W-Who...Who are you? Are you dead?" Luna asked carefully. She didn't like how much this woman's appearance made her head hurt, and it wasn't just in a spiritual pressure kind of way. It was more like a memory._

_She simply smiled. "You'll figure it out soon enough. I see you picked up my knack for photography."_

_Luna was now beyond confused, but just looked down at the Camera. "I guess...Seriously, who are you?"_

_She laughed. "Always so impatient! More impatient than little Will, and that's saying something."_

_Her head jerked right back up to stare at her. "How do you know my brother?" _

_She laughed again; Luna had no idea she was so amusing to people. "Stop asking so many questions! There are plenty of clues laying around for you. Although, I feel it is my responsibility to warn you; unless I am in pure white, it is probably best to have your Camera at the ready, Luna. The Manor of Sleep does terrible things to people, and I was no exception."_

"_Wait, what do you mean you were..." Luna trailed off with a groan. The odd woman was gone. She noticed something shiny on the floor, and picked it up. It was a key, and looked like two musical instruments were carved into it._

"_Two Mandarins," Luna said in disbelief. The woman helped her out after all. _

"_Got it!" Luna announced while more-or-less running across the roof. Rei watched, then let out a breath. "Okay, I'll admit, I'm impressed."_

_Naruto scoffed. "You should see what I do five days a week!"_

"_Hopefully she won't ever have to," Luna muttered as she opened the door they had come from. _

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Rei unlocked the large double-doors excitedly and flung them open. They all blinked as everything got noticeably brighter. _

_The figure of a man was walking away from them, and Rei outstretched a hand out of reflex. "Yuu! Wait!"_

_Luna's temple throbbed. "Naruto, would you stop trying to freak me out with that heavy breathing in my ear? This is a dramatic moment!"_

_She heard him clear his throat...from beside her, NOT behind her. "Um, Luna, I'm over here." __They all turned around, and some blue chick with no shirt and a preistess-like skirt was standing there._

_And she did NOT look happy. She stretched her fingers towards Luna, and Rei pulled her backwards. "Don't let her touch you, no matter the cost!"_

_Blue Chick turned towards Naruto, reaching for him. "I don't want to see...any more," she rasped. _

_Naruto stumbled, and her fingers were mere centimeters away from his chest when Luna shoved him to the ground._

"_Then close your eyes, bitch!" Luna growled. _

_

* * *

_

_Naruto lifted his camera to get a shot, and the flash went off. When the room dimmed down, the Blue Chick was gone._

_Rei's eyes were still wide with fear, and Luna noticed a pattern much like the one she saw that first night fading away from Rei's shoulder._

"_Hmmm..."_

_Naruto stood up and grinned at her. "Has anyone ever told you how hot your growls sound?"_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Has anyone ever told you you should get your head checked?"_

_Rei started snickering, but then Blue Chick appeared behind Naruto, touching the back of his neck before stepping around him. _

"_Gah! Cold!" He managed to get out, dropping to his knees._

_She tried to touch Luna, who dodged her right in the nick of time, but then Naruto ran right into her and knocked her to the ground._

"_Naruto, what the hell!"_

"_Sorry, I was trying to save you!"_

"_You're doing a crap-tacular job so far!" Right after those words were out of her mouth, Blue Chick's fingers reached for her at the same time Naruto helped her up, causing Luna and the fingers to collide full-on._

_She felt an excruciatingly cold pain on her left shoulder, and knew she was turning red with anger as she went right on ahead and kicked Blue Chick in the gut._

_Of course, THEN she woke up._


	5. Luna's New Tattoo

**AAAAAND we're back in reality!**

**This one's kinda short. I decided to give your eyes a break after that last long chapp.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

She sat up with a gasp, and Naruto was already awake on the floor. "What the...How the hell did I get on the floor?" He wondered.

"Oh, about that-" She cried out as the cold came back, and hunched over while trying to catch her breath.

"Luna? You alright?"

_Do I look alright to you? _Luna just shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "Check-Check my shoulder, would you? T-The left one," she managed to get out.

"How am I supposed to check when you're wearing a long-sleeved shirt?"

She groaned as the pain spread a little across the rest of her shoulder.

"Screw it! H-Hold on..a...second." With that said, she slipped off her shirt. "Luna, what the hell are you doing?"

"Bra...doofus," was all she could get out. "Oh. Right." She felt his hand run across her shoulder. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold or the pain ran up and down her as he slid her bra strap down to get a better look.

"Uh...Luna, I can't remember from my limited view of the last time I saw you somewhat-naked. Did you have a tattoo originally?"

"N-No. What...What does.."

"It's black-ish blue-ish. Like a dark blue. And it's this little patch on your shoulder, looks kind of like a dragon or...snake, maybe? Yeah, but...ew, it's moving, Luna!"

And then all of a sudden, the pain was gone. It was like breaking an extremely high fever; everything looked clearer, and all her senses felt heightened as she opened her eyes with a gasp.

"Luna...It just disappeared!"

"...What?" She asked between pants as she tried to get her breath back.

"Exactly what I said! It was there, moving, and now it's gone." She sweatdropped despite her physical state as Naruto attempted to make the tattoo reappear by messing with the skin on her shoulder.

"Naruto, don't make me hurt you."

"Hey, I've been a big fricking help over the past twenty-four hours!"

"Exactly why I don't wanna hurt you," she replied tiredly. "Thanks for not keeling over due to my lack of clothes," she added.

"I try my best."

All of sudden, Rei and Miku ran downstairs. "What the hell was all that noise?" Rei wondered out loud, not yet seeing them.

She slowed to a stop when she noticed them sitting there, one of them in a bra, panting heavily. They waved at her innocently, and Luna slid her shirt back on. "Um...Perhaps we forgot to mention a _minor_ detail last night..." Luna said with a nervous laugh.

_**

* * *

**_

_**TEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"...And then I woke up, Luna woke up, I inspected her new tattoo, and here we are," Naruto concluded cheerfully.

Rei nodded slowly. "...Oh. Is that all?"

"I'd say that about sums it up," Luna replied.

Rei looked at Miku, who shrugged with a smile. "They came all the way from Canada, what was I to do?" She pointed out innocently.

"We are?"

Luna elbowed him in the ribs, and he groaned. "I mean, uh, WE ARE!"

He leaned towards her. "Good to know you have your strength back."

"Isn't it?"

His temple throbbed, and Miku giggled. Luna raised a hand as if waiting to be called on. "Rei, do you have ANY information on this...oh, what did she call it, uhhhhh...hold on...OH! Manor of Sleep?" She finally managed to ask.

"WHO called it that?"

"That's none of your concern," she stated matter-of-factly, making Naruto droop. She just rolled her eyes. "Get over it. Hey, at least now you can tell Sasuke you slid off part of my bra! Does that help any?"

He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "...Maaaaybe."

She just shook her head at him and Sasuke's stupidity, and Rei grinned before answering her question.

"Actually, I do know a _little_. According to a study Yuu was doing, scientists think of it as some kind of disease. It affects people who regret surviving something- usually sole survivors of the incident. For example, with me it was the car crash, in which I was the sole survivor. Your 'new tattoo' is in fact part of the 'disease'. When the blue lady touches you, you acquire it."

Luna looked to Naruto. "Hey, wait...Didn't she touch the back of your neck, Naruto?"

He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "I have a, uh...good immune system." She eyed him suspiciously before turning back to Rei and shrugging.

"Whatever you say. Oh, Rei, do you happen to know who that Postal Lady is?"

"Postal Lady? ...Oh, you must mean Yoshino!"

"Who?"

"Yoshino Takigawa. She was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed her family and lover. She also got the tattoo, and I went to the hospital to see her yesterday, but she..." Rei glanced at Miku, but before she could say anything, they heard a loud grumbling noise.

Everyone turned to look at Luna, who laughed and ruffled her hair anxiously. "I guess I'm a little hungry..."

Miku jumped up. "Say no more, I'll fix you something."

"Wow, thanks."

"She likes to _do _stuff for people," Rei explained. Luna noticed the perverted look on Naruto's face and smacked him upside the head without a single word.

"Ow!"

"I know what you're thinking, snap out of it, dumbass!"

Okay, she lied. She said a few words.

* * *

Rei leaned closer to them now that Miku was out of earshot. "I didn't tell Miku this, for obvious reasons, but something tells me you've dealt with stranger occurences. When I went to visit Yoshino, the tattoo appeared and spread even further, to her eyes. I ran away terrified, naturally, but then...I heard a voice say 'I don't want to see any more'. I went back, and she was gone. Nothing but ash in the shape of her body remained."

Luna felt a pang of fear. "And...if it happened to her..."

Rei nodded. "And earlier this morning, Miku mentioned that she had something of Yoshino's.."

Naruto jumped up. "Hey, Miku!"

Luna rolled her eyes, and Rei just laughed to herself. "He's quite a character." "Just be glad you don't _live _with him," she grumbled moodily.

A few moments later, Miku and Naruto walked in. "Oh, Rei, I nearly forgot! I went back to the hospital...They gave me her diary, since she had no family left. They seemed eager to get rid of it...Should I have taken it?"

"No way! If _they _don't want it, why the hell would we?" Luna blurted.

Everyone turned to look at her, and she sighed. "May I see it? I have a theory about something..."

Miku hesitantly handed her the diary, and Luna read the entries out loud.

* * *

"_**8/10: Sunny**_

_**I heard it's good for the heart to write in a diary and have someone read it. By doing this maybe I will stop seeing that terrible dream.**_

_**I'm sad being all alone. If I can have someone read this, in some way, maybe I will connect with them."**_

Luna paused to groan. "Oh, great! She wants to BOND with us? That explains why we saw her by Yuu's altar the other day!"

Naruto sighed heavily. "Crap. She's _never _gonna go away." Rei and Miku just sweatdropped. "You two have the highest sympathy for the dead, don't you?" Rei stated dully.

Naruto jerked his thumb in Luna's direction. "With her job, she kind of HAS to have no respect for the dead!" "What is she, a grave-digger?" Miku asked carefully, looking at Luna with caution.

Luna's temple throbbed, and she stomped on Naruto's foot with as much force as possible, clearing her throat to read some more while he groaned rather loudly.

_**"8/11: Cloudy**_

_**My family and Naoya died. But being alone is more frightening than even that harsh fact. More than the accident itself, being the only one living afterwards, waiting endlessly - that was more frightening. Left all alone, in the total darkness. A sweltering night, but freezing cold...**_

_**8/13: Cloudy**_

_**I had a nasty dream. Snow fell on an old abandoned house. I'm all alone and lost, but they might all be in the house. I can meet them. I sensed that. If I go in I can meet them. They're calling me. But if I go in, I may not be able to return. But if that's what he wants...**_

_**8/18: Cloudy**_

_**Bit by bit, I go in deeper. I'm cold. It's getting dark. I can hear a song.**_

_**Naoya's in there. Mom, Dad, everyone besides me - all in there. They all left me behind, left me and went in. Because only I survived.**_

_**8/27: Rain**_

_**It's painful. Is the pain the dream? The tattoo spreads. The doctor says he can't see anything. Overseas they apparently call emotional trauma after an accident like this "PTSD".**_

_**But I can see it."**_

"Whats PTSD?" Naruto asked with a yawn.

She sweatdropped. "Glad my voice is putting you to sleep over there."

"Good, 'cause you're doing a great job of it. But what's PTSD?"

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Luna and Miku said at the same time. They glanced at each other, then Luna continued reading.

_**"/: Rainy**_

_**After sleeping several days, I'm only half-awake. Gradually I come not to know whether I'm awake or asleep.**_

_**The doctor seemed interested when he listened to my story. Maybe he is becoming more sympathetic.**_

_**But that dream and the pain are mine alone. The pain is spreading.**_

_**/: Rainy? Not sure...**_

_**Am I to blame... since I'm the only one who survived. But it's not like I chose to survive.**_

_**/:**_

_**It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. What should I do? What? Forgive me...**_

_**That woman is coming after me. I can see her even when I'm awake.**_

_**/:**_

_**I can't take being touched again.**_

_**I don't want to see anymore..."**_

* * *

Luna slowly closed the book, and everyone sat in silence. Finally, she spoke.

"...I thought so. This 'disease' you mentioned...It makes the person sleep more and more, until finally the tattoo consumes them. And the lines between dream and reality blur. From her patterns in lapse of writing, I'd say we have roughly two or three weeks until we reach the final stage of the 'disease'. But really, it depends on the person and how far they go in the Manor," she concluded thoughtfully.

Everyone gaped at her, and she rubbed her arm nervously. "...At least, that's my guess."

"She does this for a living," Naruto stated.

Rei cocked her head. "What...the HELL...do you DO, exactly?"


	6. F Bombs and Random Acts of Kindness

**ah-HA! Two chapps in one day! Because it is NOT midnight yet!**

**This dream sequence is gonna be split into two or three parts, depending on the length and all.**

**You're welcome. **

**Oh, and by the way; a fair warning, F-Bombs WILL be dropped! XD**

**Enjoy!**

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS ****LATER...**_

"So...there's no denying it now," Luna stated as she stared at the developed photos from her and Rei's camera.

Rei sighed heavily. "Yeah."

"...We're screwed."

She waved Luna off. "No, not quite yet. Maybe if we could just figure out what's causing the tattoos, we can find a way to reverse them as well."

"But we KNOW what's causing them. The blue bitch! What do you suggest we do, ask her nicely?"

Rei's temple throbbed. "No. But it's not like we have much of a choice, now, do we? Which would you prefer, giving up and waiting to turn to ash or trying to save your ass?"

Luna sighed. "You're right. My apologies."

"No worries. This can't be an easy thing for you."

"What about you? You have one too, I saw it."

"I've come to terms with it now. I'm more or less accustomed to waking up with pain, and I've made up my mind that I _will_ find out what's causing it. And I will _not_ let you and me die."

Luna sweatdropped. "That's an inspirational speech there, but quite honestly, I never wanna go to sleep again."

_**

* * *

**_

_**LATER****...**_

"_...Fuck!" Luna shouted as she awoke in the area Blue Bitch had touched her. Rei and Naruto couldn't help but laugh._

"_Jeez, Luna. I don't think I've ever heard you drop the F-Bomb!"_

"_Well, get used to it. Something tells me she's going to drop quite a few before this whole thing's over," Rei replied with a smirk._

_Luna huffed. "You're probably right."_

_They noticed Yuu walking away from them, and Luna ran after him. "Hey! Yuu! Yeah, you. Rei and I would like to converse with you! Pretty please? ...Now? ...TURN AROUND, DAMMIT!" She screeched, stomping her foot impatiently as he disappeared._

_The other two sweatdropped. "...No offense, but if he doesn't answer me, I doubt he will answer you, a total stranger," Rei commented._

_Luna huffed again. "It's because I have red har, isn't it."_

_She took a couple steps, and out of nowhere another Man In White lunged at her. "Fuck!"_

"_There's another bomb."_

"_Naruto, shut up!"_

_She took a picture just before his free hand grabbed her in the chest area. "Holy crap, did you see that? ME NO WANTS IT, WE JUST MET!" She screeched._

_Rei sweatdropped as Naruto flashed a few Fatal Frames. "HEY, making Luna blush and get pissed off is MY JOB!" He informed the ghost as he faded away._

_Luna's temple throbbed, and she smacked him upside the head. "Ouch! Dammit, Luna, I saved your ass from a GROPING!"_

"_I didn't ASK you to save me from a groping, I could've taken him!"_

"_BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT THE GROPING!" Rei finally shouted. They shrunk a little and blinked up at her innocently._

"_Don't give me those looks. Now, Yuu went this way, so.."_

_They were in a hallway that had three OTHER hallways, complete with little candles lining the area where the floors and walls met. _

_They followed Rei to the one straight ahead of where they had woken up, but it was tightly sealed. "Fuck," Rei muttered._

"_F-Bomb number three so far."_

"_SHUT UP NARUTO!" They both shouted. "Great, we have no idea where to go now," Luna muttered as Naruto started muttering darkly about damn periods again._

_Then she had an idea. "Wait. That ghost attacked me-"_

"_GROPED you."_

_She glared at Naruto, and it was quite terrifying. "...ATTACKED me...From over here, through this wall."_

_She pointed to the hallway on their left. "So, let's go through the left one!"_

_Naruto held up a finger. "Not to get all technical, but it's really the right hallway from where we entered the building."_

"_Well, it's on MY left right now, so NEH."_

"_NEH yourself."_

"_NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH!"_

"_Oh yeah? NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH NEH -"_

"_BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Rei shouted again before opening the door in the opposite hallway. Luna's jaw dropped. "Hey, I thought we were going through this door!"_

"_Yeah, the one Luna's groper came from!"_

"_Shut up!"_

_Rei sighed heavily with agitation. "I want. To go. Through THIS door. NOW HURRY UP!" She screeched._

_They both jumped and ran to catch up with her. "..Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_THAT is a woman on her period," Luna hissed matter-of-factly. He nodded quickly. "I'm gonna be in deep shit when you have your next one, aren't I?"_

"_WAIST deep."_

_

* * *

_

_Rei opened the door, and inside was a projector. Luna walked over to it, snapped a picture, and slapped Naruto's wrist lightly when he tried to fiddle with it._

"_Hey! Don't you grope me, Luna, just because YOU were a victim of Ghost Gropes!"_

_Her temple throbbed, and she hit him for real, knocking him a good five feet into the nearest wall. Rei gaped in amazement, and Naruto groaned. "Owww...That's worse than Sakura's!"_

"_And unlike Sakura, I won't hold back the next time. I am NOT a victim. Of anything," she muttered dangerously._

_She then almost immediately brightened. "Shiny!" She declared as she picked up some more Type 14._

_Rei just shook her head quickly as she opened the other door, into a new room. "I'm starting to think you just might be a superhero, Luna."_

"_Psh, try bipolar super-VILLAIN," Naruto snickered, making Luna's temple throb again. _

_

* * *

_

_It was yet another hallway, only it had grid-like stitching over a window into ANOTHER hallway. Much like in the first part of the mansion Luna had explored._

"_Ehhh, something's gonna pop up at us through those, I just know it," Luna muttered, very tempted to cover her eyes._

_Naruto smirked. "You need a blanket?"_

"_Shut up!" Right as the words left her mouth, a ghost popped up through the bars. Rei stopped and whirled around when she heard the two scream, then sweatdropped._

_Luna's temple was throbbing, and Naruto had jumped into her arms. Much like Shaggy and Scooby._

_She simply dropped him, and he landed flat on his ass. "Ow! Well, THAT'S not how it was supposed to go," Naruto muttered to himself as he stood up, brushing himself off._

_Luna rolled her eyes and followed Rei down the rest of the hallway, though halfway down it she felt another spiritual pressure. She turned to her left and saw what looked like some kind of cage, and snapped a picture as the filament turned blue._

_Apparently when it turned blue, it meant it was a helpful clue or harmless ghost. Sure enough, an image of a man sitting helplessly in the cage showed up. She shivered and continued walking._

_

* * *

_

_The door led them into an outside area. It was kind of like a wrap-around porch, and there was a place to go on each four sides of it._

_In the center, steps led down to the ground, and there was a spirit tree. Luna walked down them, slowing to a stop in front of the tree. _

_There were straw dolls in red on pikes all around it, and on the trunk a plank of wood was wrapped in a cloth and bound by sacred ropes._

_She snapped a picture of the plank, then looked up at the snow. Never had she thought of snow as ominous, but now that's all she COULD consider it._

_With a sigh, Luna ran to catch up with the other two, who were currently going down a long, narrow...you guessed it: HALLWAY._

"_Gah! Nothing but hallways!" Luna muttered moodily._

_She soon gained the lead, and was currently fighting with Naruto for the spot in front when she noticed another midget door._

"_That lullaby's getting louder, too. It's coming from in here."_

"_Thanks, Captain Obvious," Naruto grumbled._

"_Don't mention it, Lieutenant Sarcasm," she snapped before taking a picture of the door. Luna blinked in surprise as the picture turned into a whole other place entirely._

"_What's that face for? Did the CAMERA try to grope you, too?"_

"_Naruto, I swear to God, one more Ghost Grope joke and I will kick your ass," Luna threatened. She turned to Rei. "The weirdest thing just happened. The picture of the door turned into a picture of...a little girl. One of the four that impaled me. She had a stake and something else in her hand..."_

_Rei let out a breath. "Crap...That doll on the door won't let us through until we find her. I know from experience. But the question is...Where the hell do we find her?"_

_Naruto held up a hand. "I suggest we backtrack. That's usually the best thing to do in scary games or movies, and this place is most definitely terrifying..."_

_They nodded in agreement. "...What with Ghost Gropers and everything else around here," he finished._

_Rei watched on with a sweatdrop as Luna literally kicked him in the ass, making him fly spastically down the hall and land on his stomach with a groan. _

_

* * *

_

_Rei's giggling soon turned into a gasp of horror as a ghost appeared in front of Naruto. The same one that came after her with a huge knife her first night here. _

_Luna knew he wouldn't be able to fend Machete Dude off in time, so she ran over and took a few Fatal Frames. _

_He wasn't going away. _

_While he was repelled back yet again, Luna attempted to help Naruto up. "Sorry for the ass-kicking."_

"_That's alright, karma's gonna get you back eventually," Naruto said matter-of-factly._

"_Look out!" Rei exclaimed. She tried to take a picture, but was out of range, and ended up watching with wide eyes as the ghost sliced a rather deep gash into Luna's arm._

_Luna cried out, then took a picture. And another. And another. Finally, he went away. She slumped over, hands on her knees, panting tiredly._

"_Naruto...Did karma work fast enough for you?"_

_

* * *

_

_She straightened long enough to see him pull his headband out of his pocket. She eyed him suspiciously; he knew he couldn't wear it around Rei and/or Miku._

_But he wordlessly tied it tightly against her bleeding upper arm. She attempted to slap his hand away. "No no no, I don't need it, keep it."_

"_Nope. You don't want it. Therefore, it makes me want to do it just to piss you off as revenge for the ass-kicking."_

"_Isn't getting the wound in the first place bad enough?"_

"_Will you PLEASE just let me give you a stupid reason for wanting to take care of you? It's easier."_

_Rei grinned and just walked ahead of them. "Luna, let him take care of you, it won't kill you. And take one of these." She handed her a weird cylinder can. _

_"What the hell is this?"_

"_Herbal medicine. The last thing we need is for you to get your stamina down too low in a place like this." _

_Luna took it with a sigh. "Honestly, I've taken care of myself in worse conditions. Naruto, you know that!"_

_He rolled his eyes and pulled her along by her good arm. "If you're so independent, why aren't you coming ON?"_

_Her temple throbbed. "I hope this headband doesn't have to be dry-cleaned or anything, or else you're shit outta luck."_

_Naruto just nodded happily. "I know that's your spy-trained way of saying 'Thanks Naruto. And also, you're majorly hot and this random act of kindness makes you even hotter in my eyes'. So you're absolutely welcome."_

_Luna opened her mouth to say something, but decided that now was the time to shut up. Well, mostly shut up. _

_"...You know me so well."_


	7. A Creepy Side to Kids and Miku's Singing

**Hahaha, I'm not the only one who liked Naruto's groping jokes, then!**

**Well, i am currently nocturnal, so i posted another one.**

**Enjoy.**

_

* * *

_

_They were in the courtyard with all the tombstones when they heard crying. Luna cocked her head and planted a hand on Naruto's shoulder so he wouldn't walk off like an idiot._

"_Am I the only one who hears a little girl crying?"_

_"I hear it too," Rei said slowly._

"_Odd. So, who's gonna check it out?" Naruto asked._

_They turned to look at him, and he laughed nervously. "Y'know, Luna, since you're the secret agent here, I think YOU should handle this one."_

"_Secret agent? What the hell! Are you really, Luna?" Rei screeched._

_Her temple throbbed, and Naruto smirked. "You can let go of me now." She let go so quick that it caused a breeze, and she stomped off to find out why the girl was crying._

"_I think it's coming from behind those tombstones to the left."_

"_Watch your boobs, Luna!"_

"_Rei, slap him for me!"_

_**POP!**_

"_Ow, shit! Since when do you listen to Luna, Rei-Rei?"_

"_Rei-Rei? Ha! That's cute, I like that. And as for listening to Luna...C'mon, Naruto, you deserved that."_

_He crossed his arms and pouted. "Is it REALLY my fault ghosts like to touch 'em? Not that I blame 'em or anything, but.."_

_Rei broke into a wide grin, and he laughed nervously. "What I mean- What I MEANT was...I mean, they must get lonely, they'd grope ANYONE! ...STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!" He shouted defensively, making Rei break into a fit of giggles._

_Luna ignored them and slowly crept towards the back of the tombstones, camera at the ready. Sure enough, a little girl was sitting in the fetal position, crying. She snapped a picture, and jut like that she vanished._

_Luna sighed heavily. "Something tells me we're in the right direc- …." She trailed off after picking up a bit of their conversation._

"_...So what if I saw her naked? That doesn't mean I wanna GROPE her! Damn, Rei-Rei, how sick are YOU?"_

_He noticed Luna and waved innocently. "We were just talking about your Grope Potential."_

_**THWACK! BAM!**_

"_OW, DAMMIT! FUCK!"_

"_F-Bomb number FOUR," Luna said in a sweet sing-song voice._

"_I should've just let you bleed out!" Naruto grumbled. She simply walked ahead, and less than thirty seconds later, he shouted after her, "Okay, I didn't mean that! You know that, right?"_

_Luna grinned to herself, and Rei started giggling again. "WHAT, Rei-Rei?" He shouted defensively._

"_Nothing, Naruto. Not a thing."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**THIRTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_The crying was heard again in the Hearth Room, which was famously referred to as the "Room With The Weird Dangling Pot," as Naruto so accurately put it._

_They were coming from upstairs. Naruto went up first this time, and he was already snapping pictures and whirling in constant circles spastically by the time Luna and Rei caught up._

"_HELP! I'M BATTLING A CREEPY MIDGET GHOST!" He shouted, snapping as best a shot as possible; the little girl was spinning around him rapidly, trying to confuse him._

_Finally, Luna sighed heavily and slipped off her shoe before throwing it at the girl with impressive aim, whacking her right in the head._

"_NOW, Naruto!" Rei shouted as the girl slowed to rub her head. "Ouch!" She muttered in her high-pitched eery voice._

_Five combo Fatal Frames later, Naruto handed Luna her shoe. "Thanks."_

"_Now we're even for your Random Act Of Kindness," she replied matter-of-factly. _

_He laughed and shook his head. "Luna, that's the whole point of kindness. There IS no 'even'."_

_She gave him a weird look. "Really? Then what's the point?"_

_Before he could reply, Rei made a weird little "Duh!" noise. "I can't believe I never realized it! Through that door is a peek hole, and within it there was a shrine maiden impaling dolls to the wall! We must have to take a picture there!"_

_Rei opened the door excitedly, and Naruto and Luna reluctantly followed. _

_

* * *

_

_Like most areas in the Manor of Sleep, this one involved a narrow hallway that wrapped around a smaller room. _

_Two turns later, there was indeed a small rectangular opening in the wall, and Rei eagerly looked through her Camera Obscura._

_She snapped a picture, then continued looking a little longer before slowly backing away. "Shit. She looked right at me. And she looked quite sinister."_

_Naruto shrugged. "She's a kid. I mean, how sinister could she be?"_

_Luna looked him dead-on, and he gulped. "Imagine this. You're pinned to the ground with fear, and there are four kids at each of your hands and feet. And they look extremely eager to impale you. Now, how sinister do you think they can be?"_

_Naruto stared at her, then groaned. "Argh, Luna! Ever heard of the saying 'Ignorance is bliss'?"_

_She shrugged, then stopped abruptly. Naruto and Rei slowly stopped. "What is it?"_

_Through a rotting screen wall, she saw a little girl standing by herself. She looked angry, and pointed right at Luna. "This is all your fault!" She screamed. And with that, she vanished._

_Luna turned dangerously pale, and her breath caught in her throat. She leaned against the wall for support, but apparently it was Rei instead, because whatever she was leaning on patted her back._

_And Naruto was currently right in front of her asking a ton of questions, so it sure as hell wasn't him._

_Finally, she held up a hand. "Naruto, I can barely even understand what you're saying, so you might as well just shut up for a second."_

_He and Rei exchanged a look. "Luna, I haven't heard you this shaken up since...Well, a while," he said quietly. His expression clearly read "Alex"._

_She pointed where the girl had been. "She just...startled me. That's all."_

_After a few moments of her shaky breathing, Rei nodded and walked with Luna towards the door. "The midget door should open now."_

_Luna had decided not to tell them that the girl had shaken her up so much because she was the spitting image of HERSELF when she was eight._

_That much she remembered from her younger years. _

_But telling them that would just make them think she was crazy._

_**

* * *

**_

_**LATER****...**_

_After an encounter with a ghost mom, in which they got a negative photo to develop later, they headed for the Second Courtyard and the Second Midget Door With Creepy Singing._

_As Rei predicted, the doll had already faded almost completely. Luna opened the door, and sighed. "Great. That room's extremely tiny. Room for only one."_

_She and Rei slowly turned to look at Naruto, whose jaw dropped. "WHAT? Luna's smaller!"_

"_Yeah, but I'm injured and have been doing most of the work thus far," Luna replied calmly. Rei nodded. "She makes a good point."_

_Luna smirked. "If you're not manly enough, I totally understand."_

_He huffed, then slid past her into the room. "I am too! I am a MAN! A MANLY MAN!" He shouted at her determinedly before stomping into the room._

_She shut the door before erupting into a fit of giggles. "That's really all it takes?" Rei asked with a sweatdrop._

"_Yep!"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto heard giggling after the door shut, and his temple throbbed. "I'll show her. Damn annoying redheaded Grope Victim, thinks she can doubt my manliness- holy SHIT!" He screeched as he noticed a little girl standing in the center of the tiny room, staring up at him with a smile._

_Her expression seemed to say "FINALLY, dumbass."_

_He jumped back and sweatdropped. "...Luna was right. You guys ARE creepy." She continued to stand there, and he started rambling._

"_You probably remember her. She's hard to forget. She's the redhead you guys tried to impale a few nights ago. Which, I'm sorry, but I can't let you get away with. I mean, it's bad enough she got Ghost Groped, but to add 'nearly impaled' to the list is just plain WRONG!"_

_He paused to take a breath, and she cocked her head with interest. _

_"You see, she had to kill her boyfriend a while back, and the douchebag's back from the dead and trying to talk to her. Will NOT stop calling, can't take a hint, that annoying dickhead! Plus, she's my 'girlfriend'...Well, not really, but as far as any living civilians are concerned, she is. Except for Miku. In Miku's case, I am EXTREMELY single! Miku's Rei-Rei's roommate. She likes short skirts, and due to Luna's OBVIOUS JEALOUSY, I have drawn the conclusion that Miku's into me."_

_There was a sharp rap on the door. "I don't know why the hell you're talking or who the hell you're talking to, but I heard 'obvious jealousy' and 'Luna' mentioned, and dammit, I am NOT jealous, Naruto Uzumaki!" Luna screeched._

_The shrine maiden looked from the door to Naruto, who was currently pointing at the door. "Luna, you stay out of this! This is between me and Creepy Shrine Maiden!"_

_He scoffed and grinned at the aforementioned Creepy Shrine Maiden. "Women, huh?" _

_

* * *

_

_The girl blinked at him, then sunk through the floor. Naruto sweatdropped. "Huh. Well, that's ONE way to make an exit."_

_He then took in the room. It was covered with tons and tons of dolls in red, like the ones by the Spirit Tree. There was a shrine altar set up to his left, and he went to go look at it. _

_On it was a weird ferris-wheel-looking candle holder, a cool little ceramic sphere, and other assorted objects._

_He shrugged and headed for the exit, having nothing interesting to report. But before he could leave, he heard the ghost behind him and whirled around with his camera at the ready._

_It took a moment for Naruto to remember that she was a little kid, and he looked down to take a picture, getting a Fatal Frame RIGHT before she attempted to nail his foot to the ground._

_She started flying around like that OTHER ghost kid, and he groaned. "LUUUUUNAAA!"_

"_WHAT?"_

"_I NEED YOUR SHOE!"_

_A few moments later, Luna was shoved in by Rei. Naruto sweatdropped, and she slowly looked up. "What's wrong?"_

_Naruto gaped in horror as the ghost raised her mallet, about to pound right into Luna's foot. "Well, for starters!" He shouted before taking a picture. _

_That was the final blow for her, and she disappeared with a shiver-inducing shriek. Luna stared wide-eyed at the spot the Shrine Maiden had been just moments before._

"_...Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I believe that due to all this, you are to receive a random act of kindness soon."_

_Naruto could've explained, AGAIN, that the whole point of random acts of kindness was to be RANDOM and KIND, but knew it'd be like talking to a brick wall._

_He picked up a little notebook with curiosity. "I take it the Shrine Maiden left this?"_

"_That'd be my guess."_

_He cleared his throat importantly before reading._

"_**I wonder if being **__**impaled**__** hurts.**_

_**I wonder which hurts worse, having the **__**stake**__** go in a little bit at a time, or having it stabbed through all at once.**_

_**I wonder if they die if the stake goes all the way through. I wonder if it matters if they die.**_

_**I want to impale a real **__**priestess**__** soon**- Whoa, what the FUCK?__"_

_They looked at each other in disbelief, but before they could do much else, they awoke._

* * *

They came to with a gasp at the same time, but unlike Naruto, Luna's tattoo came back. He just watched as she cried out in pain; the tattoo had spread over her shoulder now, and was creeping down her upper arm.

He was going to just not mention it, but Luna saw it anyway. "...It's spreading...So fast.."

As she touched the new area touched by the tattoo, her hand grazed his headband, still there. Naruto stood up. "Where's Miku? I'm hungry as hell.." He muttered, knowing that if Luna knew he had seen her smile, he'd get his ass kicked for sure.

Luna shrugged. "Dunno. Probably still...sleeping," she muttered, pointing in amazement to the window overlooking the garden.

The curtains were drawn over the sliding-glass doors, but when you stood by them, you could still see the rain. It rained all the time here lately, according to Rei.

Miku was standing there, hand at her collarbone, staring off into space. "Sleep, Priestess, lie in peace...Sleep, Priestess, lie in peace...Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm..."

Naruto pointed at Miku. "Is she singing the.."

"Yep."

They both jumped with yells as a Shrine Maiden with twin braids appeared by Miku, looking at Rei, who was coming downstairs at the same moment.

Everyone stared at her in stunned silence, until she disappeared.

Naruto was the first to speak.

"...Well, so much for your house being considered 'safe'."


	8. Many Lunas and A Broken Finger

**Weeellll, I'm back!**

**Happy late Fourth Of July to those who celebrate it like me, over here in the USA. If not, um...happy...Wednesday? Haha well anyways.**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

Rei cautiously approached Miku, who was now silent and was just gazing out the window.

"...Miku...That song..."

She jumped a little and glanced at Rei. "Oh, Rei. Good morning. That...song?" Everyone nodded, and Luna scratched her arm anxiously.

"I...Don't exactly remember where I've heard it, but...I feel like I've been hearing it in my dreams lately. I...I don't have any idea what the lyrics mean. Do you think it could be some sort of dialect?"

"Dreams," Rei muttered.

Naruto pointed at Miku. "Wait, so- OW!" He shouted as Luna stomped on his foot.

"Shut UP about the DREAMS," she hissed before smiling innocently at Miku.

Miku smiled back and shrugged. "Oh well. Anyone hungry?"

"ME!" Luna and Naruto shouted, and Rei sighed with relief as Miku hummed a different song and headed for the kitchen.

Naruto glared at Luna. "What the hell was _that _for?"

"If she has the dreams, she obviously can't remember them that well. And if she DOESN'T have the dreams, I have a feeling that if we explain them to her, she will start having them and get the Cursed Tattoo as well."

"Well, what makes you think that?"

"The same thing's happening to Kei," she replied while flopping onto the couch. Ruri, Rei's cat, hopped up and curled up beside her with a purr.

"...Who's Kei?"

"Kei Amakura. Yuu's friend and colleague," Rei replied quietly.

Naruto looked at Luna, who was currently scratching Ruri's ears. "And you knew that HOW?"

She stood and headed through the door to the rest of the house, then came back with a letter in her hand. "This."

Naruto took it and skimmed it over silently. Yes, that's right; NARUTO was SILENT. That made Luna's morning.

**

* * *

**

**Dear Yuu,**

**I'm sending you a testimony tape I just found about the urban legend. **

**If I give it to you,**

**I know you'll take good care of it. **

**I found several other tapes, but as they're quite old, having been dubbed by a gramophone, they're damaged.**

**I'm trying to get them restored now.**

**I'll send them to you when they're done.**

**Lately, I've solely been researching folklore—legends, folk tales, and folk religion.**

**That was both your and Mafuyu's field, wasn't it? ****It's an interesting world, but I don't want to get too deep into it.**

**How is Mafuyu's sister...her name was Miku, right?**

**I'm searching everywhere I can, **

**but I still don't know Junsei Takamine's whereabouts.**

**Maybe he was "spirited away" too?**

**If you've got anything, let me know.**

**Mio's health is not good, so I put her in the hospital. She only wakes once every two days, and then for only a couple hours at a time.**

**I've got to hurry with my research.**

**Regards, **

_**Kei Amakura**_

* * *

A photo slipped out, and Naruto looked at it closely. "Hey, it's a chick. This must be his niece, Mio."

Something else fell out with a thump, and he threw it to Rei. "That must be the tape he was talking about. But, wait...Luna, he never mentioned having the dreams."

She nodded. "I know, I read it. But I have a feeling...A really bad feeling...That we aren't the only ones that're having these dreams, Naruto."

They heard Miku start to hum the Priestess Song again, and a collective shudder filled the room.

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS ****LATER...**_

"Luna?"

"What?"

"What does that tattoo feel like?"

Her head shot up from Rei's photos she had borrowed. "...Where the hell did _that _come from?"

Naruto shrugged. "It's just a question."

She rubbed her shoulder unconsciously as she spoke. "Well...It feels very cold. Unbelievably cold. And the pain is really immense for a while...like a throbbing, intense pain. And when it's not visible, I've lately been able to _feel _its presence...Right underneath my skin. Sometimes I'm tempted to look, but I know it won't be there until I wake up rthe next morning. It's not a good feeling."

She looked up at him. "...What's the _real _reason your tattoo never showed?"

He simply hopped off his end of the couch and headed towards the door to the rest of the house. "I have to pee."

"It's just a question, isn't it?" She asked him.

"Night, Luna."

Luna watched him go, temple throbbing, then sighed heavily as she got comfortable. "Nice timing..."

_

* * *

_

_When they awoke, they were somewhere totally different. And Rei wasn't there. Instead, there was-_

"_MIKU?" They both shouted. She jumped with a yell and turned to look at them, putting a hand over her heart. _

"_Luna, Naruto. You scared the crap out of me..." She looked around, and her face grew even more fearful._

"_This dream again?...I...I thought I wasn't going to have it anymore..."_

"_Don't you worry, I'll protect you," Naruto said as he slid into place beside her. Luna's temple throbbed. "Naruto, don't make her get a restraining order."_

_He rolled his eyes. "She wouldn't do that! Right, Miku?"_

_She just smiled, while Luna rolled her eyes and looked around. "What's with the giant hole in the floor? And am I the only one who hears screeching coming from it?"_

"_No, I hear it sometimes too, I just like to tune it out," Miku replied hesitantly._

"_So, Miku. You've been here before. Which way should we go?"_

"_...I don't know. I can't remember my dreams. I just remember tuning out that noise and being here before," she admitted._

"_Well, that's cool. I happen to have an amazing sixth sense! I say...THIS way," Naruto proclaimed, steering himself and Miku around the hole and towards the door on their left._

_Luna opened her mouth to say something, but sighed and shook her head before stomping after them._

_

* * *

_

_The door led to a hallway with ropes hanging from the ceiling, and Luna sweatdropped. "Way to go, Naruto. It appears you have led us to certain death."_

_His temple throbbed. "You, Luna, need to have more faith in me once in a while. Damn! I'm pretty sure we can take it!"_

_Luna gave him a doubtful look, but followed them anyway._

_There was a full-length mirror at the end of the hallway; its edges were tarnished, and by the base of it lay..._

"_...The Camera Obscura," she and Miku muttered in unison. They exchanged a look, and Miku hesitantly picked it up._

_As she did so, the Blue Bitch appeared behind her, shimmering. _

"_I don't wanna see...Any more..."_

"_Bitch, we've been THROUGH this," Luna started, temple throbbing and finger pointed at the reflection, but was interrupted by Naruto pulling her along._

"_Now is NOT the time to argue with ghosts, moron!"_

_She huffed. "I'm no moron!" Miku opened a nearby door, and Luna was about to go through it when she saw a familiar red ponytail in the corner of her eye. _

_She turned around and saw her Past Self going through the opposite door. "Luna, hurry up," Miku called out._

"_Don't worry about me, I'll meet up with you eventually!" She replied before running after the figure._

_The door had sacred paper all over it; probably not a good sign. **Well, fuck it, I'm going in anyways.**_

_

* * *

_

_She heard angry whispering, and it was kind of weird to hear her OWN voice from some OTHER source. Either way, she followed it. Like an idiot._

_Luna ran down the hallway and saw the ponytail heading to the right. She opened the door as quickly as possible, looking around for...well, herself._

_There was some kind of large tent made of white cloth set up in the middle of the room. It didn't exactly look like those camping tents she saw on the educational videos back in DC, but that's the first thing that popped into her head anyway._

_She did a half-circle around the tent until she saw a shiny item behind a reed changing screen._

_Luna picked it up; Herbal Meds. _

_She stuffed it into the butt pocket of her boxers, but before she could continue looking around, she was face-to-face with her Past Self._

_And Past Self did NOT look happy about it. The tear marks on her face looked even worse close up. Her brown eyes were flashing amber angrily. Yet she was...transparent almost._

_She pointed a pale little finger at her Present Self. "You...This is all YOUR fault! All you!"_

"_..What is?"_

_Past Self shook her head slowly. "You...Don't remember. That's even worse. You...You bitch!" She seethed. _

_**Not to go all maternal, but that's some course language for an eight-or-nine-year-old...**_

"_Please, what did I do to you? Or me...Past Me...Whatever you are!" Present Self cried out._

"_It wasn't what you did to ME...WE survived. It's what we did to mommy and daddy that you should be punished for," Past Self stated matter-of-factly._

"_Well, that's great, but what did we DO?" She shouted, making Past Self jump back a little. _

_She looked...afraid. _

_Of herself. _

_Of her Present Self, which is technically Future Self, since THIS is her Past Self in front of Present Self, or Future Self, which is REALLY...Fuck, now Present Self had just confused herself. _

_Greeeaaat._

_Past Self shook her head again. "You don't deserve to have the luxury of me telling you. Wait until you run into mommy. Then you'll REALLY be sorry!" _

_And with that, she ran through the reed screen and down some dirt stairs, through a door. Luna ran after her. _

"_Wait! Wait for me, uh...ME!"_

_She flung open the door to see not only Past Self, but Naruto and Miku. They didn't look too happy, and Miku was staring at a cage hanging from the ceiling. _

* * *

"_You have NO IDEA what you just missed," Naruto muttered. _

"_Neither do you," she replied without thinking, then winced as he noticed Past Self. "Hey, kid, you look a lot like Luna."_

_Past Self gave him a sideways look. "...You're an idiot," she replied in a rather kid-like tone._

"_Am not!"_

"_Are so!"_

"_Am NOT!"_

"_Are SO!"_

"_Am no-"_

"_SHUT UP!" Luna shouted, temple throbbing. Past Self and Naruto gave each other one final glare before Past Self strode up to Luna._

_She grabbed Luna's hand and looked up at her with a creepily innocent smile. "It'll all be over soon. Once you remember, it'll destroy you. Destroy us both. And mommy and daddy will be waiting for us."_

_A sickening snap echoed throughout the room, and Luna didn't even cry out. She was too stunned to say a WORD about her Past Self pulling her finger like that._

"_Hey, what the hell's wrong with you, kid?" Naruto demanded as Luna stared at her rather out-of-place-looking finger._

_Past Self glared at him. "ME? Why don't you ask us where our parents are? Better yet, ask our big brother. I'm sure he remembers."_

_With that, she ran through a wall, and her mischievous laughter filled the room as they all woke up._

_

* * *

_

**...Well. Luna's past self scares me XD**

**Review!**


	9. Cassette Tapes and Blue Sheets

****

Yay! ANOTHER chapp! And this one's at Rei-Rei's!

**Yay, no italics!**

**Enjoy :)**

**

* * *

**

Luna awoke with a gasp, as per usual, but now she had five times more pain. Not just from her tattoo, which had now spread onto the middle of her upper arm, but from her finger.

It was sticking out at a really odd angle, and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep from looking at it and get rid of the nauseousness.

She had _never _been so thankful that Sakura had lectured her for hours on the importance of knowing healing jutsu; she had the break repaired in under two minutes.

Now all that was left was the dull pain, and she got up to head for Rei's bathroom and look for any kinds of bandages, maybe a splint too, to wrap around it.

"Was that your sister?"

She froze and didn't dare turn to look at him. "...No. Not quite."

"Then what is she?"

"What's the real reason behind your nonexistent tattoo?" She shot back before leaving the room.

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"Thanks," Luna told Miku as she cut the excess bandage off for her.

"No problem."

"Miku, Luna, about last night..." Rei started.

They were currently in the kitchen; Luna was sitting on the counter and Miku was getting a pan out of the cabinet to Luna's left.

"Did something...happen?"

They both glanced up at Rei, and Miku stiffened. "I just...had a weird dream, is all. I didn't sleep well."

_Chyeah, no kidding._

Rei looked to Luna, who just shrugged.

"Who was that little girl who broke your finger?"

So Rei at least saw _that_. Luna turned her finger over to look at it. "...No one. She's...just a ghost."

"...Oh. If you're sure.."

She nodded and hopped off the counter. "I think I saw some mail by the door when I went to find a bandage."

* * *

It was a letter from Kei. She brought it into the living room, and read it out loud as everyone else ate.

"**Dear Yuu,**

**Have you listened to the 3 tapes I sent before?**

**I'd like you to listen to them before you read the rest.**"

Luna shrugged. "Well, screw that, I guess we can listen to them later, right?"

"**Maybe you won't believe it, but I've had the 'Manor of Sleep' dream**- OHHHH, I FRICKING _TOLD _YOU, NARUTO!" Luna interjected.

Naruto's temple throbbed. "Will you PLEASE just read the damn letter?"

"FINE. Sore loser..." She cleared her throat to drown out the string of curses he muttered towards her, then continued as if nothing had happened.

"**First I thought I was just thinking about the manor too much, but after listening to those tapes and to Mio, I'm displaying the same symptoms.**

**In the dream, I'm in a snowy manor.**

**I don't remember it well, but it resembles the house I got the 'Camera Obscura' from.**

**I get a bad sense from the manor. Just like the testimonies.**

**The only difference is, I was pursuing 'Mio' in the manor, and Mio 'wasn't dead'.**"

"Enough with the air quotes," Naruto muttered moodily.

Luna's temple throbbed, and she stole his plate before shoving the letter right in his face.

"OW! HEY, MY FOOD!"

"Here. If you don't like my way, YOU read it," she growled between bites.

"...Fine."

He flicked the paper before clearing his throat importantly.

"Ahem. Where were you? Oh, right. Wait, no...**Yeah, here! Okay. If the urban legend of "The Manor of Sleep" is true, and I can wake Mio from her dream, maybe I can save her. **

**Even if it makes little sense, I feel I'm getting closer to the truth.**

**Regards,**

**Kei Amakura."**

* * *

He nodded with satisfaction. "I'm an awesome reader. Luna, there's none left, gimme back my food."

Luna hopped up and ate the rest before putting it in the sink. "Oh, sorry, what's that? I didn't hear you! Oh, wow, there's none left. That's a shame."

"DO YOU WANT ME TO BREAK YOUR OTHER FINGER?"

"That depends, DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL MIKU ABOUT THE TAMPONS?"

He turned bright red as Miku and Rei both gave him a weird look, and he pointed a finger at Luna. "You're so dead. One of these days, I'll exact my revenge. MARK MY WORDS-"

"Well, Miku, this one morning I woke up to see him going through my bag, and-"

He practically dove for her, covering her mouth and laughing nervously. "Uhhh, I think the pain's made her delirious. Luna, you should really lie down. Far away. In a room that locks from the outside," he said as he slung her over his shoulder and looked to Rei and Miku.

"Got anywhere like that?"

"Well...There's Yuu's room," Rei said hesitantly.

"Rei, she can just stay in mine," Miku said gently.

"No. No, Yuu's room is just fine," Rei replied firmly. Miku gave her one last worried glance, then looked at Naruto.

He shrugged. "Cool."

"NARUTO, PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW, DAMMIT!" Luna shouted, but he simply summoned some chakra and flash-stepped to the upstairs balcony.

Rei and Miku gasped, and he flashed them a grin. "Impressive, I know."

He winked at Miku, but then Luna groaned. "Ughh...I think I'm gonna hurl..."

"Hold it in, hold it in, I beg of you!" He shouted as he spastically ran down the hall and opened the door to Yuu's room.

Rei and Miku's laughter could be heard all the way upstairs as they cleaned up their dishes.

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS ****LATER...**_

_**KNOCK-KNOCK.**_

"Luuuuunaaa?"

"WHAT."

"If I come in, are ya gonna jump me?"

"You. WISH."

She heard him chuckle before opening the door. She was laying on her back on Yuu's bed, arm over her eyes, her previously-broken finger sticking out a little straighter than the others.

Her temple was throbbing, too. She held up a tiny cassette tape with her other hand, keeping her eyes covered.

"I found a tape on Yuu's desk while looking for routes of escape. Am I allowed to leave now, Warden?" She asked moodily.

"Only if you promise to behave."

She sighed. "Naruto, I am not a child.." She trailed off as her brain felt all fuzzy. It had been a long time since this had happened.

_

* * *

_

_Past Self stomped her foot, glaring at a younger version of Will. "Would you stop that? I'm not a child! I'm turning nine soon," she declared proudly._

_He ruffled her hair playfully. "Yeah, but until you're 18, you still gotta do what we say."_

"_You're not mom, or dad!"_

"_Yeah, well, when they're out, I'M in charge. They're out. So go clean up the mess!"_

_She finally sighed and grabbed a broom. "It's not MY fault dogs have bodily functions.."_

"_Well, he's YOUR dog."_

"_Just shut up, Will!"_

* * *

His laughter was still ringing in her ears. She sucked in a breath and stood up. Naruto was looking at her weird.

"What just happened?"

"...Nothing," she said innocently. Naruto just shook his head. "Whatever. Rei's about to listen to the tape if you wanna hear it, plus that one you just found."

She shrugged and followed him out. But she could've sworn as she shut the door that she saw two figures in the room.

One was wearing a male's engagement ring and was sitting on the bed, muttering something about blue being Rei's favorite color.

The other was pacing and had a very red ponytail.

_**

* * *

**_

_**In my dream I saw...my mother...in that manor. Inside there was an old shrine. It was cold, snow was falling...I could hear a song.**_

_**There were so many people going into the shrine. It was like...a funeral procession. I could smell incense burning. Everyone was hiding their faces.**_

_**My mother was among them. No matter how many times I called her, she kept going further, and further...!**_

_**And just before the door shuts...It was like I was going to be left all alone. **_

_**I saw it...every day. I went in just a little bit. If I went in any further, I wouldn't have been able to come back.**_

_**But I thought I could meet my mother...**_

_**In there...**_

The tape stopped, and Rei popped it out. "That was 'Manor of Sleep: A'. This one I'm putting in now is 'Manor of Sleep: B'. It's the one Luna found in Yuu's room earlier today," she explained to everyone before switching tapes.

_**Yes...That dream. I dreamt of the manor. Yes...**_

_**Yes...My name is...Serizawa. It's the same manor. It's a big and...quiet manor. It was a very cold night, it was snowing...and then the roof collapsed, and the snow started coming in.**_

_**Um...A song?**_

_**It sounds like some sort of nursemaid's song. The child kept stabbing at a doll...When I came to, it always hurt.**_

_**There was ALWAYS pain. **_

_**Here, can't you see it? Look, it's right here...**_

_**It's true...It kept spreading...**_

_**…**_

_**…**_

_**...AH!**_

The tape suddenly stopped, and everyone was silent as Rei put the tapes up. "That was the same woman both times, right?" Miku asked.

Rei nodded. Luna stood. "As much as I hate to say it, I'm tired."

Would the same thing happen to her and Rei? Would no one believe them, either?

* * *

**Bum-Bum-BUUUUUMMM! So, next chapp, Luna turns the tables on Naruto.**

**It's gonna be interesting XD**

**And also, for those who don't know, flash-steps are like teleporting, pretty much.**

**Watch Bleach: Memories of Nobody, and you'll see what i mean. Senna and her tight-rope-ing... XD**


	10. Another Dude And Naruto's Idiocy

**I have NO idea why, but i just keep right on typing for this fic! **

**Well, whatever.**

**Enjoy!**

_

* * *

_

_Naruto was the first to wake up, and noticed there was someone totally different with them. Luna blinked her eyes open and felt her tattoo appear._

_She heard the heavy breathing that always came with Blue Bitch's presence, and bit back a gasp as she realized Blue Bitch was, in fact, walking right past her._

_Across from her, Naruto and...some guy...were crouching behind furniture._

_Once she was finally gone, Luna stood and winced as the tattoo continued to move in place._

_The guy watched it with wide eyes and strode over to her. "I'll be damned. The tattoo..." _

"_Who're you?"_

"_Kei Amakura. And you?" He asked as he inspected the tattoo. "Luna. That's Naruto." _

_Naruto's temple throbbed as Kei ran his hand along her shoulder to see if there was any reaction from the tattoo. "Is that really necessary?" He asked dully._

_Luna shot Naruto a glare, and Kei removed his hand. "Sorry. I've never seen it in person before. I can't see it as well on myself."_

"_Oh, you were totally fine," she replied pleasantly. _

"_Pervert," Naruto muttered, making Luna stomp on his foot. Again. _

"_DAMMIT, I wanna be able to USE my foot by the time this whole thing's over!" _

"_Then stop being an idiot. You'll live, Naruto."_

_They all stiffened as the Blue Bitch's presence returned, and poked their heads out of the doorway._

_They didn't see her, but Luna sensed her and ran to the right. "She's to the left. I don't know about you two, but I really don't feel like getting touched again tonight."_

_There was a double-door closet to her NEXT right, so she walked over to it. She tried a couple times to open the door, but due to her finger, it was a bit difficult._

"_Here, I'll help you," Kei said, gripping the handle and opening it. His hand had grazed hers for a prolonged time (to NARUTO it was prolonged), and he huffed._

"_Whatever happened to not wanting to get touched again tonight, huh?"_

_She glared at him. "By the Blue Bitch, Naruto. Chill out, would ya? Oooh, shiny," she declared as she picked up some meds._

_They turned, and saw a white skirt and leggings down the hall, going up some stairs. Kei stiffened. _

"_Ah! Mio!"_

_Mio didn't seem to hear him. "I'm sorry...so sorry..." She was whispering._

_They followed Kei, who ran as quickly as possible towards the stairs. At the top was a door, and around it were..._

"_Crimson butterflies," Luna muttered._

_Kei peered down at the lock, and sighed. "Crap. A Butterfly Key."_

_Luna sighed as well. "Looks like we have another lead." _

_

* * *

_

_She ran back to where the storage closet was, and went through the door to the right._

_Naruto randomly popped up beside her, and she spazzed out, nearly punching him. Luckily, she stopped at the last second, and she glared at him._

"_...Dumbass."_

_He shrugged, then looked around cautiously. "Alright, Loon, we need to be careful. Shit be going down in here, I can feel it."_

_She sweatdropped. "My name is Luna."_

"_I know that."_

"_Then what the hell did you just call me?"_

"_It takes less time to say."_

"_Chyeah, one whole syllable! Honestly, sometimes I just do not understand your logic.." She muttered as she looked around. _

_The room was littered with large kimonos on racks; they looked to be pinned there for viewing purposes. _

_Against the opposite wall, on the furthest side of the room, was a shattered mirror and a reed screen for privacy._

_There was also a lantern behind the screen, as well as cushions and..._

_Luna walked over and picked it up. "A diary?"_

_She turned a page and read it out loud._

* * *

"_**How many days has it been? How many months. How many years?**_

_**Many outsiders have been brought here. But none of them are like him. He said my hair was beautiful, but no matter how much I arrange it, he'll probably never know how I feel**."_

"_Hmmm, maybe this is Miku's diary. She must be talking about me," Naruto said thoughtfully. Luna's temple throbbed, and Kei cocked his head. _

"_Miku...Mafuyu's little sister?"_

"_Whatever happened to Mafuyu?" Luna asked. He shook his head sadly. "No one knows. He disappeared; he was looking for Junsei Takamine."_

"_The folklorist," she muttered thoughtfully._

"_You know him?"_

"_I've heard about him. Both from the Agency, and from your letters."_

"_How did you get a hold of my letters?"_

"_I'm currently staying with Rei Kurosawa and Miku Hinasaki."_

"_WE are currently staying with them," Naruto added, earning a sweatdrop from Luna._

"_...Yeah, we. Anyway. I've read some of his stuff."_

_Kei grinned. "Folklore is more Mafuyu's and Yuu's thing, but it's still interesting."_

_She nodded with a similar grin. "I agree."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "Can we PLEASE just get on with the diary entry?"_

_They abruptly broke eye contact, and Luna nodded. "Right. **All I can do is comb my hair and wait for him.**_

_**That way when he comes back with his camera, he'll take my picture again.**"_

_She closed the diary and looked at Naruto. "Yeah, something tells me this wasn't Miku's writing."_

_He huffed. "A guy can dream."_

_She shook her head with amusement and crouched to look at the mirror stand; the mirror itself was shattered into tiny pieces. _

_"Wow. Whoever looked in that did NOT like what they saw.."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto pointed to the wall behind the mirror stand. "Is that...what I think it is?"_

_Kei peered up at it. "...Hair. Human hair."_

_Luna hopped up. "Okay, my theory. The man this woman liked so much never came back, she went crazy, shattered the mirror, ripped out her hair and pinned it to the wall."_

_Naruto nodded. "From here on out, we shall call this woman Britney."_

_The other two turned to look at him. "WHY?" They said in unison. _

_"Because Britney Spears shaved her head and all," he said as if it were obvious._

_Luna just shook her head and headed for yet another midget door to the far right of where they were currently standing. "Whatever you say, Naruto."_

_The midget door led them to a rather wide beam, and they walked across most of it with ease. But then they heard loud screeching noises, making everyone jump._

_Luna stumbled a little, and Kei grabbed her gently by the elbow to steady her. "Thanks."_

"_No problem."_

_Naruto cleared his throat as a signal for Kei to move his hand now, and Luna's temple throbbed as Kei did so before walking ahead._

"_DON'T make me kill you," she mouthed dangerously. He just rolled his eyes as Kei opened the midget door and went through._

_They headed for the door they had come through, but it was- "LOCKED?" Naruto shouted._

"_Is someone...here?" A quiet female voice asked, and Luna yanked him down to the ground with her and Kei with MUCH more force than necessary._

"_Way to go, DUMBASS," she hissed.  
_

_They were currently crouching behind a kimono as the woman started floating around, looking for them._

_They were doing pretty fine. Until, that is, Past Self appeared and knocked over the kimono stand they were behind._

_There was a moment of silence as Britney looked at them, and they looked at her. Finally, Naruto blinked and spoke._

"_...RUN!"_

_Luna was about to follow them, but Past Self gripped her arm tightly, and they were suddenly in another room._

_

* * *

_

_Past Self abruptly let go, making Luna stumble. She tried to stare her down, but it was kind of hard to since Luna was a good two feet taller._

"_...You were in Yuu's room."_

_Past Self smirked. "Oh, so you DID see us."_

_Luna glanced at her bandaged and splinted finger, then sighed. "Please, tell me. What do you want from me?"_

_Past Self got closer, backing Luna up against a wall. Was Luna really fearful of her own SELF? **This is SO fucked up..**_

_She glared at Luna. "What do I want from you? What do I WANT?"_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Yes, isn't that what I asked of you?"_

_Past Self shook her head. "I want justice, Luna. I want you to pay for what we did."_

"_Why don't YOU pay?"_

"_BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE!" Past Self screeched. She blinked away angry tears. "I already have. I've been in this hellhole ever since we hurt them."_

"_...Hurt who?"_

"_Mommy and daddy," she replied with a sniffle. _

"_..Kira and-"_

"_NO, Will's mommy and daddy! Our foster parents. You hurt them, Luna. You hurt them really bad. It was scary," she said more to herself, her voice dropping to a shaky whisper._

"_Please. Please, tell me what I did to them," Luna pleaded. _

_Past Self just shook her head quickly, ponytail bouncing to and fro with the motion. "It's not my job to tell you. I just want you to pay. ...Pay..."_

_She slid into the floor, and after a few moments, Luna heard creaking. She looked around frantically, and leaped out of the way right before Past Self's hand tried to grab her ankle._

_There was a loud shriek, and Luna's tattoo throbbed. Past Self's spiritual pressure disappeared, and a new one rose, higher and higher, until Luna felt almost sick._

_A woman suddenly appeared. She looked JUST like the woman Luna had seen in the room on the roof, but this time her kimono was sapphire-blue, tied with a blood red sash._

_And she did NOT look friendly. _

"_You must pay..." She said in a hoarse whisper, reaching for Luna. _

_She moved to the right, but the woman followed her. With her touch came a fuzzy feeling, almost like a memory, but Luna wrenched herself out of her grip before the vision could form._

_Now was no time to have flashbacks._

_Five Fatal Frames later, the woman started fading. Before she did, though, she looked up at Luna. "You...You took away so much...You must pay..."_

_After she left, Luna noticed a diary on the ground where she once stood. She bent down and started reading it._

_**

* * *

**__**March 7:**_

_**Luna's settled in pretty well here so far. Her and Will have their moments, like any other siblings, but seem to accept each other at least a little.**_

_**She's old enough to have memories of her mother. She sometimes has nightmares about the "demon that took daddy away". When I try to comfort her, she asks me where her mom went, and why she left her alone.**_

_**But last night, she called me mommy. It was heartbreaking; for some reason, and I hate to even write this...but for some reason, something told me I will pay dearly for taking care of this kid. Maybe with my life.**_

_**Almost like...she's dangerous. But I know she couldn't be. She's only a child, after all. And giving her a home is the least she should get for her past troubles.**_

_**I have to go. She's having another nightmare.**_

_And suddenly, she was back in Britney's room. The diary was still in her hand. Naruto was lowering his camera, and was the first to notice her._

"_You're back. Where the hell did you go?"_

_She shook her head slowly, feeling a little light-headed. "I dunno."_

_Naruto shrugged, and Kei sighed tiredly. "Something tells me we have to go through the tiny door."_

_They all said in unison: "...FUCK!"_

_

* * *

_

_Just like before, they crossed the wide beam with ease. But then there came a narrower beam, but no eery noises, thankfully._

_Naruto gave Luna a tiny push. "You're the wall-scaler. I vote you."_

"_Are you sure that's wise? She IS injured."_

"_Yeah, her FINGER. She'll be fine, moron."_

"_You don't seem to have much of a concern for her safety."_

"_Well, that's none of your business, Kei!"_

"_My name's pronounced 'Kay'."_

"_Well, NOW it's pronounced 'Ky'."_

"_HEY, YOU GUYS!" Luna shouted from all the way on the other side of the beams. She pointed to a door. "We need a Sleeping Stone. This is no good."_

_She was about to cross all the beams, but there were so many that she just scaled a little bit of each wall at a time, diving and landing expertly in front of Kei and Naruto._

_Naruto smirked proudly at Kei. "I told you."_

_Luna smiled at Kei and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for your concern, though." He smiled and nodded, and Naruto's temple throbbed as she let her hand slide off before opening the midget door._

"_...I was concerned, too."_

"_Naruto, just shut up before you make Britney pop up again," she muttered as she noticed something by the mirror stand. _

_She held up a hairpin triumphantly. "Ah-HA! The Holly Hairpin. Now we can open that door over there."_

"_How do you know it'll unlock it?"_

"_Because I can read," she replied as she fit it in the keyhole and the door swung open. She held out an arm as if ushering Naruto in._

"_Idiots first."_

_

* * *

_

_They went down the flight of stairs and ended up in a room with a bookshelf, a long short shelf, assorted objects on said shelves, and several exits._

_The midget door was locked. "This needs a 'Dianthus' key," Kei informed them._

_Luna cocked her head to look at it. "How the heck do you know what a dianthus is?"_

_He shrugged. "College."_

"_College," Luna repeated with an impressed "Oh REALLY" tone. Naruto huffed yet again. "People go to college every day, Luna."_

_She glared at him and went through the door to her right, which led them right back to the four-way-hallway with all the candles._

_

* * *

_

_**Hahaha Naruto. Getting a taste of his own medicine, perhaps?**_

**_Oh well. REVIEW!_**


	11. ColdBlooded Killer

**Looooong chapp, guys. i tried to fit the rest of the dream sequence in one chapter...BRILLIANT idea! NOT.**

**Oh, and for those who noticed, YES, there are quite a few references to pyschadelicsnake's walkthrough. His walkthroughs are hilarious, i couldn't HELP but put Fatal Frame 3 walkthrough references in there!**

**Hahaha anyways, enjoy! :)**

* * *

"_Great. Now what?"_

_Luna shrugged and went into the hallway straight across, to the exit. "Screw it, let's get outta here."_

_But then spiritual pressure returned, and a man was sitting there behind an object as if hiding from something._

_He was groaning in pain, and Naruto dragged Luna all the way down the hall to the right. "No no, let's NOT."_

_They ended up in the projection room. Luna picked up some Type-14, while Naruto picked up a book. "Folklore? Screw that," he muttered, tossing the book over his shoulder and somehow managing to hit Kei in the head._

"_Ow!"_

"_Oh. My bad, Ky."_

"_It's Kei. KEI."_

"_Well, now you're Ky."_

_Luna just shook her head, and Kei let the subject drop with a sigh. They left the projection room, and she steered them towards the exit._

"_Are you insane? That ghost was in here!" Naruto protested. She rolled her eyes. "It was there for a reason."_

_But it wasn't there now. She tried the door, but it appeared to be sealed by some strong power. There was only one thing that could cause THAT._

"_Hide!" She hissed as she felt the Blue Bitch's spiritual pressure start to form. She and Kei hid where the ghost had been, and Naruto hid behind a similar object to their right._

_Luna winced as her tattoo creeped to the surface, as per usual, and the Blue Bitch soon crept into view._

_She sounded like she was sobbing. And she wasn't alone. Past Self was with her, holding her hand, looking for them._

_This time, Luna really did tremble. It's really saying something when you're not scared of the person who cursed you, but you're terrified of yourself from the past._

_There was a long moment where she seemed to look right at them, but she then kept moving, and luckily Past Self didn't see them._

_Once they left down to the other hall, Naruto ran to the exit and tried it again. "Still sealed," he mouthed to them. Luna nodded and stood, looking to see where the two ghosts were. _

_She couldn't see them. "My plan? Run like hell to that door straight ahead. And...GO!" She hissed before running as fast as possible._

_Naruto was behind Kei, which drove him insane, so he used flash-steps to end up beside Luna._

_She rolled her eyes and used HER flash-steps to end up right in front of the door. She waited patiently for Kei, while Naruto muttered something about cheating, and then opened the door._

_They walked into the room they had just started in, with all the shelves, and Luna sighed heavily. "This is probably the longest dream sequence EVER."_

_Naruto eyed Kei suspiciously. "Funny how it happens to be the longest dream sequence where YOU show up..."_

_Luna's temple throbbed. "Naruto, it's not Kei's fault. Chill out."_

"_His NAME is KY!"_

"_Whatever, I'm going this way," she replied, going up the stairs to her left, which she knew led to the courtyard with the Spirit Tree and Shrine Maiden Midget Door._

_Naruto tried the big double-doors with the blue lantern beside it, but it wouldn't budge. "I can't get through."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Because of...rope?" _

_Because really, the only thing on the door was rope and sacred paper. But she had gone through the OTHER door with sacred paper just fine when chasing Past Self. _

_Perhaps this one's binding was stronger?_

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "OBVIOUSLY, it's more than your average paper."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWO ****HOURS LATER...**_

_They ended up checking every door, but to no avail, and ended up backtracking to see if the spiritual presence was in fact BLUE BITCH'S presence. _

_But of course, as soon as they got there, she showed up._

_Once she disappeared again, the presence was STILL against the door, and Luna sighed. "Fuck's sake!"_

_They looked around tiredly. Pretty sad that they were getting tired in their own dream._

_Naruto suddenly brightened and pulled Luna along. "This way!"_

"_Ow, fuck! Naruto, that's my hurt finger!" She groaned, and he let go with a nervous laugh. "Sorry."_

_He turned to the right and went through a door that Luna and Kei had never even remembered being there._

_Hadn't it been locked before? Whatever._

_Almost as soon as they stepped in, Luna felt a spiritual pressure rise out of nowhere. It felt like being jabbed with a fork, and she jumped, ramming right into Kei._

"_Ow! Sorry," she muttered._

"_No problem."_

_A woman slowly went up a few stairs to their far left, then disappeared. Naruto turned to look at them, temple throbbing._

"_...You can pull apart now," he prompted._

_They jumped five feet away from each other, both their temples throbbing. Luna walked ahead, up the stairs that woman went up._

_Naruto shook his head at Kei. "Jeez. Putting the moves on Luna...What the hell's the matter with you!"_

"_SHUT UP!" Luna shouted from upstairs before muttering a distinct "Oh SHIT!"._

_Naruto and Kei ran up to see what kind of crap she had gotten them into this time, and both of them spazzed out. "HOLY SHIT! SHE HAS A BAZILLION ARMS!"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna put a finger to her lips, hiding behind a bookcase. The other two dove behind another bookcase, waiting for her to pass. _

_When she finally did, Luna stood and walked over to where the ghost had first been standing. In one of the drawers, wrapped in a kimono, was another Camera Obscura. _

_She tossed it to Kei, but Naruto intercepted it to see what it was. Kei's temple throbbed as Naruto smirked and handed it to him as if he had just won some competition. "Nice catch."_

_Luna rolled her eyes and started reading a book to herself. It seemed to be some notes._

**It's been nearly half a month since I entered the mansion. It's still snowing outside. Once this snow melts I'll be parted from Kyouka, and most likely never be able to return.**

**Men are not needed in the manor. If necessary, I could run away, but if possible, I would like to take Kyouka with me. That feeling is what keeps me here.**

_Luna stopped reading, temple throbbing. Kei and Naruto were looking over each of her shoulders, and she gave them both glares._

"_Personal space. Invading it. BACK UP!"_

_They jumped back, and she sighed. "I'll read the rest out loud if you're so damn interested." "Who said I was interested in the notes?" Naruto asked._

_She just rolled her eyes and continued reading while he gave Kei that triumphant smirk again. _

"**Sometimes, worshippers from nearby villages come here. All of them cover their faces, and head into the shrine.**

**Today's worshipper seemed like a woman. She was holding a child-sized bundle, and it looked as if she was crying. I can also hear that "Lullaby". I wonder if the "Ceremony" is like some sort of funeral...**"

_"You have such a hot reading voice," Naruto said innocently._

_She closed the book, then hit Naruto upside the head with it. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"_

"_Stop putting the moves on me!"_

_His temple throbbed, and Kei flashed HIM the triumphant grin this time. _

_"...Dammit, that was a hardback, too."_

_The woman with a bazillion arms popped up after they got downstairs, and ended up chasing them into a hall on the right. _

_Luna gasped. "This is where I was on my first night! I know where to go!" She led them down a few hallways, and was about to go through the door she went through that first night when she noticed a door with a ton of spiritual pressure._

_She stopped mid-step and went to look at it. Naruto snapped a picture of the doll, and she squinted at it. "There's some kind of curse written on it, but I can't make it out."_

_Luna looked at Naruto. "What picture showed up?"_

_He looked through the viewfinder. "Uhhh...It looks like...SHIT."_

"_What?"_

"_Britney's room."_

"_SHIT!" They both hissed in unison._

_**

* * *

**_

_**THIRTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_When they got in there, she was sitting in front of the mirror stand, combing her hair. The hair on her head, anyway._

_Although, it WAS quite short for women from her time..._

_Naruto snapped a picture of her, and she turned to look at him. Kei and Luna ducked behind a kimono rack, but Naruto stood there like an idiot._

_Britney slowly stood. "You said you would come back," she hissed. _

_Naruto laughed anxiously. "Ohhh, you think I'm that GUY you talked about in your diary! No no no no, see, you misunderstand..."_

_She vanished suddenly, and Luna let out a sigh of relief. "Cool. That was easier than I thought. I must hold huge sway with these ghost women," Naruto muttered to himself with a pleased chuckle._

_Luna rolled her eyes, but then her jaw dropped as she felt a spiritual presence fade. Not only was Britney gone, but so was the doll on the door. She could FEEL it._

_Luna stood up quickly, feeling Britney's spiritual presence rising again. "Okay, okay. Let's just run, run, RUN!" She shrieked as Britney appeared behind her, and ran for the door._

_Unfortunately, Britney followed them, trying to get Naruto. "I won't let you go," she hissed. Everyone took Fatal Frames at once, and then hauled ass back to the room where Lady With A Bazillion Arms had been. _

_

* * *

_

_They ran to the door, and indeed the doll was gone. When Kei opened it, Luna's head started hurting. This was where she followed Past Self in the last dream. _

_She noticed that muttering was coming from the white sheets, and she shivered. Naruto sweatdropped. "What the hell is that dude saying?"_

"_I don't know, and I don't WANT to know." _

_They did a complete circle around the room, and Kei went up the stairs. There were tons of bookcases, and one of them looked movable. It WAS blocking a little area behind two larger bookases. _

_Kei moved it with ease, and let Luna go in first. "How charming. Let the girl go first so all the danger hits HER head-on," Naruto muttered._

_Luna shrugged. "Dangerous is how I live." She found a film, and squinted to read the label. Even with her flashlight on it, it was so old and smudged that it was near impossible to read._

_Eventually, she was able to make it out. "...Piercing of Soul?"_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "They sure have optimistic titles for their films.."_

_There was an altar set up to the right, but Naruto went up the ladder, so they naturally followed him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid._

_

* * *

_

_Up there, they saw a woman standing a little past their lines of vision, but didn't get a good look at her. _

_The lights were flickering on and off, and Naruto groaned. "This just SCREAMS 'Grudge Girl Rape'."_

_Kei sweatdropped, but Luna was already running off from them, having seen Past Self whizz by._

_"Hey__, where're you- AH!" Naruto shouted as a woman lunged for him. Luna ignored him and ran after...herself._

_

* * *

_

_When she caught up, Past Self grinned. "Oh. It's you again."_

"_Yes, it's me. Who else would be here?" _

"_Good point. Perhaps you're a SMART bitch, too."_

_Luna felt her hands clench, but slowly unclenched them and tried to ignore the pain that shot up her finger._

_Past Self giggled and started dancing in and out of Luna's vision, using the flickering lights to her advantage._

"_Luna, Luna, Luna. How on EARTH did you turn out this way? So sick in the head...Sick enough to do something so cruel.."_

"_Like WHAT?" Luna practically shouted. She was tired of this little game. Suddenly, Past Self appeared right in front of her, eyes narrowed. _

"_Cold. Blooded. MURDER," she hissed before laughing at the expression on Luna's face. _

"_You really have no idea what I'm talking about, huh? I knew you would be fun," she said with a giggle before disappearing again._

_Luna felt something kick her shin and jumped back. There was a sting of something scratching down her arm, and she whipped out her camera. _

_Past Self was moving so fast that it was hard to even see her with the Slow Lens of the camera, the whole point of which was to slow down ghosts' reflexes. _

_Finally, she got a shot, and Past Self stumbled a little. Then she disappeared yet again, reappearing beside Luna. "You really think that flimsy occult camera will help you here? Funny. That's what that other girl thought. Yoshino. She was feeling guilty, too. See, unlike you, she was innocent."_

_Past Self glared at Luna. "YOU deserve the punishment of a lot more than that stupid tattoo. Yet you're still here, and innocent Yoshino died. Think about that." And with that, she vanished. _

_For a split second, all the lights cut off, and Luna screamed despite herself._

_She heard banging on a door, and when the lights went back to flickering, Naruto and Kei fell into the room as the door swung open._

"_We were just looking for you downstairs, how the hell did we not see you?"_

"_Are you alright?"_

_Her reply was drowned out by loud screeching, as if someone was scraping their nails across a chalkboard, and everyone clapped their hands over their ears._

_It was gone after a few godawful moments, and Luna nodded slowly. "I...I think so."_

_Kei pointed to her right shoulder. "How the hell did you get THAT?"_

_Luna looked down and her eyes widened. There was a long scratch that went straight down the entire length of her arm. It appeared to have broken the skin a little in a few spots._

_She sighed. "Great. Now BOTH my arms are all scratched up. What next?"_

"_Oh, and you have a mark on your shin," Naruto offered nonchalantly. She glanced down and groaned. "Even greater. A bruise!"_

_Kei was looking at the wall to the left of her, brows furrowed in confusion. "I think you have a lot more to worry about than that."_

_She and Naruto swiveled their heads to look at it, and she felt the blood drain from her face. Written in what appeared to be scratches, in big bold writing, was "_**Cold-Blooded Killers _Always_ Pay. And You WILL Pay, _Luna_**_."_

_Luna blinked a few times, then headed for the exit. "Uhh...Maybe we should just keep going. Shouldn't we be finding that Butterfly Key so we can save Mio?"_

_That got Kei moving, but Naruto looked at the writing a little longer before sighing and hesitantly following them._

_

* * *

_

_Luna realized they hadn't ever gotten a chance to check that mini-altar, and did so as soon as she got down the ladder._

_She then did a rather hyper happy-dance, holding up some tiny object. "I GOT THE BUTTERFLY KEY! HELL YEAH!"_

_Kei and Naruto sighed with relief. _

_"I could kiss you right now. That means we're closer to ending this DAMN dream sequence," Naruto muttered happily. _

_Luna nodded and headed down the stairs, just barely dodging a flying hand from Lady With A Bazillion Arms._

"_Oh, hi!" She called out to the ghost as she slid down the banister. The Lady looked a bit disappointed as she continued to hiss at Kei and Naruto, who simply dodged her as well. Naruto used his Flash-Steps, confusing her even more._

_It might've been the adrenaline high she was currently on, but Luna could've SWORN she heard the ghost chick mutter "FUCK'S sake."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**HALF ****AN HOUR LATER...**_

_Luna could NOT get the door open fast enough. "Hey butterflies, what's up?" Naruto said happily, making Luna and Kei sweatdrop._

_When they walked in, they didn't see anyone at first, but they heard a girl talking. "It was a promise, Mayu? We were always going to be together? So...I want to go too...so we can be together again..."_

"_Mio, no!" Kei whispered. Naruto snapped a picture, and Luna smacked him upside the head. "Have a heart, Naruto!"_

"_What?" He said defensively, but then they woke up._

_

* * *

_

Luna awoke with a gasp, and noticed her tattoo didn't appear. Was it because she had woken up in the middle of the night this time ?

Naruto awoke with a gasp, too. "You alright?"

She nodded hesitantly, then froze. "Naruto...Do you hear that?"

"Hear what? Wait...It sounds like..."

"Static from an old radio," Rei answered for him, making them both scream. Luna rolled off the couch, she jumped so hard.

"Dammit, Rei-Rei! You're awesome, but FUCK!" Naruto shouted, temple throbbing.

Rei just smiled apologetically as Luna rubbed her newly-acquired arm wound. It was starting to bleed a little.

"Sorry you two. It seems to be coming from Yuu's room. You wanna come check it out with me?"

"Sure! Anything to keep from staying here by myself," Luna muttered.

"You'd have me!"

"So? What's you point?" She asked, making Naruto's temple throb as he stomped up the stairs.

Luna used her Flash-Steps, and Naruto just huffed. "Would you stop doing that? That's MY thing."

She rolled her eyes and followed Rei to Yuu's room. "Maybe you shouldn't have taught me, then."

* * *

Inside, they looked around, and Rei noticeably turned three shades paler. "It's...It's coming from his closet...Maybe even in the attic above it. We have to go see what it is!"

Naruto sweatdropped. "Wait, wait, wait. Lemme get this straight. There's white noise coming from a radio, which appears to be in the attic, which is also hidden within your dead boyfriend's closet...and your first thought is **'LET'S CHECK IT OUT'**?"

Rei laughed nervously, and Luna sighed before sliding the closet door open. "I'll go, Rei."

She poked her head up into the closet, and the noise got louder. Soon after, Naruto's head popped up beside hers, and she resisted the urge to scream. "Dammit, Naruto, why the hell are you up here too?"

He shrugged and climbed up into the attic space before holding out a hand.

"I'm supposed to protect you, aren't I?"

She hesitantly took his hand, and he pulled her up. They looked around cautiously.

"Where do you think it's coming from?"

His eyes landed on a box, and they both jumped as they heard something moving in the little space above it.

They stood there, stock still, and suddenly a pair of hands and arms slid into view. Luna gasped despite herself, and they both hauled ass towards the attic exit.

Luna was about to climb down when she heard it suddenly get really quiet, save for a rasping noise.

It sounded JUST like the Grudge Girl, and she slowly turned around.

"Naruto!" The girl was currently grabbing a hold of him, and he waited until the last moment to elbow her in the gut. "Back off! No hugs for you!"

And with that wonderful speech, they all woke up. AGAIN.


	12. Don't Question Luna's Espionage

**Ahhhhhh, a short-ish chap! Finally!**

**And not as many scares, 'cause I'm nice!**

**Oh, and also, if you're wondering who the hell Ky is, and how the hell to pronounced it, allow me to explain.**

**I pronounced Kei's name as Ky (pronounced KAI) when i first played the game, and to prove how much awesomer his name sounded that way, Pyschadelicsnake pronounced it that way also. **

**...I probably sound obsessed, mentioning him this much. But he really is THE best walthrougher i've ever seen. ...That is, as long as you like British accents, lots of spazz-outs, and all-around hilarity. **

**I do! **

**But yeah, just to avoid confusion, that's all there is behind the Kei/Ky/Kai business. I figured Naruto would do something like that just to piss off Kei XD**

**Enjoy:D**

* * *

"Wait...It was...a dream?"

Naruto looked around and stood up. "Well, there's no Grudge Girl trying to give me a hug, we're back down here, and there's no white noise, so my guess would be yes."

Luna winced and groaned, as usual, as her tattoo resurfaced.

"Hey, wow, it's spreading to your back."

"I know. I can feel it, genius," she murmured. After a few moments, she hopped up and headed upstairs.

"I think you're getting better," Naruto offered. She glanced back at him. "And why do you say that?"

"Because you can insult me now while it's spreading."

"Oh. Perhaps you're right, then."

She was just _waiting _for him to realize what she was going to Yuu's room for, and smirked as he started spazzing right on cue. "YOU'RE NOT _SERIOUSLY _GOING UP THERE, ARE YOU?"

Luna sighed exasperatedly as she moved the ceiling board. The attic's stuffy air hit her full-on. "We had that dream for a reason. Something tells me it's gonna really be up here."

"As much as I love seeing you crouch in those rather short boxers, _please _don't make the Grudge Girl come out here!" He whined.

Luna's temple throbbed, and with an annoyed shake of the head she crawled up into the attic space. She screamed in surprise when her eyes landed on Rei, crouched over a box.

"That's it Luna, I'm coming up!"

"Don't, it's too crowded!" She shouted down at him.

"The hell!"

"It's _just _Rei, moron!"

"...Oh. Morning, Rei-Rei!" He called out cheerfully.

* * *

Luna's temple throbbed, and Rei chuckled a little while opening up the tiny box. She peered over Rei's shoulder, and her eyes widened at the object Rei pulled out.

"What is this?" She asked Luna.

"It's a Spirit Stone Radio. You can use it to hear the thoughts of the deceased through Spirit Stones, or any other object they might have imprinted their thoughts and feelings on," she explained. "May I...?"

Rei nodded and handed her the tiny radio. It looked like something straight out of a history book, like something families used to listen to some radio broadcast like War of the Worlds, decades ago.

"How do you know of this invention?"

"Her Occult Database probably has one!" Naruto shouted.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! THAT'S CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION!" She shouted back to him.

Rei cocked an eyebrow. "He mentioned you being a secret agent a few days back. ...He wasn't kidding, _was _he?"

Luna sighed heavily and shook her head. "No, he wasn't. Excuse me a moment."

With that, she hopped gracefully out of the attic space. "WOULD YOU QUIT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT ME? IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE I REALLY SUCK AT MY JOB, YOU MORON!"

"It's not MY fault you suck as an agent."

"Oh yeah? Would you like to see first-hand how good of an _assassin _I am, then?"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm- AAHHHHH! MIKU, HELP ME!"

Rei looked around and fanned her face. "I think I'd rather stay up here than witness the chaos they're wreaking in my home..."

* * *

Miku's wake-up call that morning came in the form of banging on her door. "Miku, please, open up! SAVE ME!"

She shot straight up, blinking groggily. "...Naruto?"

"Yeah, open up! AHHH, HURRY, SHE'S RUNNING RIGHT FOR ME!" He shouted desperately.

Thinking he meant some evil being, she nearly fell trying to open the door in time. He dove into the room before shutting and locking the door right in Luna's rather angry-looking face.

Miku sweatdropped. "I was protecting you from...your girlfriend?"

He waved her off. "Luna's not my girlfriend. That's just a cover we made up since she's having to stay with me for a bit for a mission. She's a secret agent ordered to protect me. Well, we have to protect _each other_," he explained, looking around her room.

"In a crazy way, that makes total sense. Wait...Then why is she..."

"Trying to kill me? I pissed her off," he said casually. Miku sweatdropped again. "Is this a regular occurrence? Her trying to kill you?"

"Not to this degree. But she DOES love injuring me. She'd make a really sucky girlfriend, unlike _some _people I know."

He winked, and she felt herself blush a tiny bit. Luna continued to bang on the door. "Come out here and face me like a ninja!"

Miku cocked her head. "...Ninja?"

He turned to look at her, having previously been flipping through a photography book of hers. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm a ninja. Hence the naturally epic skills."

Luna laughed from outside. "Skills? Ninjas are masters at secrecy and silence, two things _you_ happen to be _horribly_ lacking!"

"Oh, and YOU have them?"

"In a word, YES! That's what espionage is all about!"

"Espionage my ass! You couldn't be secretive and silent to save your _life_!"

"Oh yeah?"

"YEAH!"

Miku watched on as her door swung open, revealing a rather annoyed-yet-smug Luna. She had one hand on her hip, the other holding up a bobby pin.

She disappeared, then reappeared right in front of Naruto before kicking his legs out from under him.

She struck a Captain Morgan pose, heroically placing one foot on his stomach. "...You were saying, Epic Ninja?"

Naruto blew a few strands of blond spiky hair out of his line of vision. "...Pure luck."

Miku winced as anarchy soon ensued.

"...Naruto, you shouldn't have said that.."

_

* * *

_

_When they woke up, Luna and Naruto were in the Midget Room where the Creepy Shrine Maiden had tried to hammer her ankle a few nights back._

_They crawled out, and Rei was out there waiting. _

"_Hey, it's The Rei-Rei! I missed battling ghosties with you," Luna cried out cheerfully. Naruto shrugged. "At least that one time we had Miku as a substitute. But dammit, that Ky guy was THE worst battler ever!"_

_Luna's temple throbbed. "I think you're just jealous."_

"_Of WHAT?"_

"_His jeans."_

_Rei sweatdropped. "Or maybe it was because he put the moves on you."_

_Luna waved her off. "That too."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "Can we please just carry on?"_

_They headed for the regular-sized door that led to the Many Shelves Room, and were greeted by blood trailing the ground. _

_Lots of it._

_Naruto spazzed and jumped back. "Someone's had a really, really bad time here."_

_

* * *

_

_Luna sweatdropped and shook her head before following it. _

"_Luna?"_

"_Yes, Naruto?"_

"_You know I think you're kick-ass."_

"_...Yeah..."_

"_But you're such a moron. WHO FOLLOWS A BLOOD TRAIL?"_

_Rei just sighed and followed Luna. "C'mon, Naruto. I thought you were an Epic Ninja."_

_He huffed. "I AM an Epic Ninja!" He stomped after them, and saw Luna taking a picture of a member of the Ghost Groper Clan. It vanished, leaving behind a shiny item , but not before gasping out "Please...Help me!"_

_There was a pool of blood where he had been sitting, behind the bigger shelf that had all the space behind it. Luna picked up the shiny and made a face. "It's soiled with blood, but I can make out...'Sacrificial Pillar' as the title."_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "Again, such cheerful titles for their projections." Rei led them to the four-hallway hallway, and they were greeted by a Ghost Groper Clan Member running past them._

"_Get back...Stay away!" _

_Luna groaned. "Dammit. If a GHOST is running away..." She followed Rei to the Projection Room anyway, and they rolled the tape. _

_It showed Ghost Groper Clan Members, four of them, in four different rooms. They were silent for a few moments after it ended, and Naruto was the first to say something._

"_...CRAP! We have to find them all, don't we?"_

_Luna nodded slowly. "For once, Naruto, I think you're right." _

_His temple throbbed. "Oh, but Ky is ALWAYS right, isn't he?"_

_

* * *

_

_Rei rolled her eyes and let them argue, following the blood trail._

"_I dunno about ALWAYS, but he tends to be correct a lot. I wouldn't know, though, we haven't been around him too long."_

"_Long enough for him to put the moves on you."_

_She sighed. "Why do you keep harping about that?"_

"_Be-CAUSE, he WAS!"_

"_Heh, that rhymes! But anyway, what does it matter?"_

"_Whaddaya mean what does it matter? He was PUTTING MOVES ON YOU!"_

_She shrugged. "So? If I didn't have a problem with it, why do you continue to hold it against him?"_

"_BECAUSE, YOU OBLIVIOUS MORON, I-" _

_"YOU GUYS!" Rei interjected, making both of them jump. _

_"The blood trail leads to a door, but I can't get through. Looks like we're gonna have to go some other way, so if you two could stop arguing over damn Kei and his moves for two seconds, help me decide where to go!" She shouted._

_Before anything else could happen, they heard creaking from up above them. They glanced up, and realized the Midget Door by Britney's room was located directly above. _

_It subsided, and Naruto held up a finger. "...I vote Luna."_

_**

* * *

**_

**Hahaha, ahhhhh...Gotta love Naruto.**

**I wonder what he was going to say...?**

**Well, anyway. REVIEW_!_**


	13. Past Self Is A Rather Good Actress

**AAAAAAANND I'm back!**

**Only a few hours later.**

**I have NO life.**

**Well, anyways. Enjoy! :)**

_

* * *

_

_Luna looked to Rei, but she just laughed anxiously. "Well, you ARE a master of these things, being a Secret Agent and all..."_

_She turned a deadly glare onto Naruto, who cringed. "I'm sorry! It just slipped right out, I couldn't help it!"_

"_This is SO not the time for perverted comments!"_

"_I didn't- hahahahaha, that's a good catch, Luna! But c'mon, I didn't mean it like that!"_

_She simply grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him along. He clawed at the air towards Rei for assistance. "Nooooo, I wanna stay with Rei-Rei!"_

"_Stop acting like a damn child! Just come ON."_

_Rei shook her head and held up a hand. "I'll just wait here, I guess...?"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_Why am I here anyways, if you're gonna do it?" Naruto asked as Luna hopped onto the narrow beam. _

_She turned her head to look at him. "So if something happens you can go get Rei."_

"_OR, I could help you out like the heroic ninja I am."_

_She laughed. "Ah, thanks, I needed that laugh." _

_He sweatdropped and was about to argue, but just sighed. "...No problem."_

_Luna hopped from beam to beam, looking for anything, and soon felt a spiritual pressure rising behind her._

_She turned around just in time to see a Creepy Shrine Maiden, mallet poised to strike. _

_"Luna, get to the other side first, fighting on beams is pure SHIT!" He shouted as she took a couple Fatal Frame combos. _

"_I'm good on the beams, thanks," she muttered, but did as he said anyway so he wouldn't keep distracting her. __Luna waited until the girl's stake was inches away from being pounded into her foot, then took four more Fatal Frames, making her shriek and disappear._

"_See, see? You're welcome!" Naruto called out as she picked up a shiny that Creepy Shrine Maiden dropped. _

_"Hey, I got the Sleeping Stone! Get over here."_

_He Flash-Stepped over, and smirked. "How come YOU didn't Flash-Step?"_

_She shrugged. "It's not quite as fun. This should only take a second.." She muttered as she fit the stone into the slot and started working the puzzle-combination._

"_Wait, so what do you need ME over here for?" He asked. She hesitated, absorbed in working the puzzle._

_Eventually, they heard the click of the lock releasing, and she glanced up at him with a smile. "It wouldn't be as fun going in here by myself."_

_He grinned back, and she crawled through the now-unlocked Midget Door. Inside was an empty square room. Empty save for a medium-sized square peephole. Luna groaned. "Ahhhh, crap. Peepholes around here never lead to anything good."_

"_Peepholes IN GENERAL never lead to anything good. TRUST me," he muttered moodily. Luna smirked. "Hey, at least I didn't kick your ass for that one at the hot spring, right?"_

"_Yeah, I guess...But the looks Sakura gave me for the next week were scary as hell..."_

_She just rolled her eyes and tucked her auburn hair behind her ear before looking through it. There was a statue, with a woman who appeared to be all in black kneeling beside it. Almost like she were praying._

"_Not enough blood...Need more blood..."_

_Luna's breath quickened just a little as Past Self appeared too. She was perched on the statue's shoulder, swinging her legs as if she didn't have a care in the world. _

"_...Creepy," Naruto muttered as the woman disappeared, making Luna jump. "Naruto, shut up!" She hissed._

_It was too late; Past Self had heard him, and she looked up with an expectant grin. "Oh, hello. I should've known you'd show up."_

* * *

"_Well, what'd you expect? We heard a noise, and Luna just HAD to drag me over here to see what made it," Naruto replied casually, without a care in the world it seemed._

_Luna's eyes widened as she looked at him. "What the hell are you doing? Personal space, I need some," she added since his face was less than three inches from hers._

_He scooted to the side, then shrugged. "What? Might as well talk to the kid. I imagine she's socially deprived being around here."_

"_Naruto, she's...she's..."_

_He cocked his head. "You look scared. You, LUNA, look scared." She ignored him and looked back down the peephole. _

_Past Self was still grinning at her. "Hey, where's Blonde Boy? What's his name again? Hmmm...ummm...Naruto! Yeah, that's it. Where'd he go?"_

"_Nowhere you need to worry about," Luna muttered._

_But of course, the idiot popped his head right back over beside Luna's. "Right here!"_

_Her temple throbbed. "...You dumbass."_

_Past Self giggled, and for a split second seemed pretty innocent. But Luna wasn't a fool. _

"_Hard to believe someone like him hangs around someone like you."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" He asked._

_Past Self turned around on the statue's shoulder so she was facing them. "Oh, you know. You protect people, you're clueless, those kinds of things. She, on the other hand, is a smart bitch with no heart. A cold-blooded killer. It's just kind of funny," she said with a tinkling little laugh._

_Luna narrowed her eyes. "Enough with your smack talk. Why don't you come up here and take me on, if I'm such a smart heartless bitch? I MUST piss you off. Come on, bitch-to-bitch. I dare you!"_

"_Whoa, Luna, chill out, she's just a kid."_

"_SHUT UP! You don't know what kind of hellish stunts she's pulled on me," she snapped at Naruto, still looking at Past Self._

_Past Self started trembling exaggeratedly. "Why would I fight you? And let you kill me? I don't THINK so, you cold-blooded murdering BITCH!" _

"_I didn't kill...ANYBODY...in cold blood. And I'm NOT heartless, I'm not! So you just shut your damn mouth, you little fucking demon!"_

_A tear slid down Past Self's cheek. It was so fake; Luna should know, with all the fake tears she'd had to cry over the years._

_"You're scaring me, Luna." Past Self turned her wide-eyed innocent gaze onto Naruto. "...I'd watch out, if I were you. I would hate for her to hurt you."_

_That's when Luna lost it. "That's it, that's SO IT!" She was about to Flash-Step into the room, but he held her back by the waist. "What the hell? Calm down!"_

_Past Self flashed an innocent-yet-evil grin at her Future Self before vanishing. Luna abruptly stopped trying to wriggle out of his grip with an angry yell. _

"_Argh! Why the HELL did you DO that?" She demanded, glaring at him. She sighed and glanced at the peephole._

"_I could've...I could've ended this..."_

"_Ended what, the curse?"_

_She shook her head. "No, that's not it. I could've ended the...the torture," she muttered in such a quiet tone that he almost didn't catch it._

"_What torture? You talking about that KID? I mean, I know she broke your finger, but come on..."_

_Luna sighed and exited the room. "Just forget I said anything, Naruto, just forget it."_

_

* * *

_

_They crossed the system of narrow beams with ease, but when they reached the wide one, they heard shuffling below._

"_Re-" Luna covered his mouth quickly and put a finger to her lips. _

"_So there was...another survivor," rasped a voice._

_They waited until he was gone, and Luna let her hand drop. "Machete Dude!" She exclaimed, reflexively touching his headband, under which was Machete Dude's handiwork._

_Naruto glanced around. "...Creepy."_

_They went through Britney's room, and didn't have any problems. Well, until they reached the four-hallway hallway, where Rei was waiting. _

"_Hey, you're back in one piece each!" She said cheerfully, waving to them as if they might not be able to see her._

_They both sweatdropped as two Ghost Grope Clan Members ran right past them and Rei froze, hand still waved, as they then ran TOWARDS them._

_Luna sighed and whipped out her camera, but not before one grabbed her. Right in the...you guessed it._

"_PERVERT!" She screeched, and instead of snapping a Fatal Frame, she bashed his head in with the camera._

_Naruto took care of the other one, then started laughing. "Luna, that was...fricking awesome!" He said between laughs._

"_Who knew Ghost Grope Victims could fight back?" Rei said innocently._

_Luna gave her a look, hand clasped against part of her chest. "I'll let that one slide, since it was a partial compliment." She handed Rei the projection and they went to play it._

_It showed some sort of ritual that involved women with needles on their bodies, ropes covering where their eyes should be, and a stone slab. _

_That's about all they could make out in their disturbed states of mind. _

"_Uh...Let's just try that door on the other side again," Naruto suggested with a nervous half-laugh._

_Luna ran for the door, and it swung open with ease. "Either Rei-Rei had just randomly turned weak earlier, or the force holding the door closed just went away."_

_

* * *

_

_The clock on the wall randomly started ringing as they walked in, and they noticed blood in the room. A Ghost Grope Clan Member stood to look at them._

"_In order to keep the rift from opening..." He was muttering, heading right for Rei._

"_About time someone else got nearly groped," Luna commented as Rei took about three Fatal Frames, defeating him._

"_Hey, he dropped something," Rei said absently as she picked up a book. _

"_**Moriya Tome 1**_

_**Top shrine carpenters have been**_

_**gathered together to seal the Kuze **_

_**Shrine into the depths of a great **_

_**cavern so that not even a single ray **_

_**of light can enter into the darkness.**_

_**Then, we must erect a Shrine of the**_

_**Rift in front of the great cavern using**_

_**Spirit Trees as the core pillars, and**_

_**with sacrificial pillars arranged so **_

_**that the darkness is purified and the**_

_**Rift cannot leak into the world.**"_

"_O...Kay..." Naruto commented. "Is that supposed to mean something?"_

_Luna nodded slowly. "I think so. Spiritual pressure was just released when you defeated Ghost Groper. A curse is weakening on a door somewhere."_

"_One of those door dolls?"_

"_Yes."_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "Then why not just say that instead?"_

_She sniffed importantly. "It wouldn't have been as dramatic." _

_Rei broke into a smie at the expression on Naruto's face, jaw on the floor and everything. "...Yet, somehow, that still surprises me."_

_Luna suddenly brightened. "Wait...Naruto, remember that huge double-door that wouldn't open due to sacred rope? In the courtyard with the Spirit Tree?"_

_"...The what? Wait...Oh YEAAHH__! Did we just open it?"_

_"__I dunno. Only one way to find out, right?"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Rei snapped a photo, and squinted at the viewfinder. "I see...Ghost Gropers. About four of them." Luna sighed. "Damn. Guess that means there's more."_

"_Well, yeah, remember that OTHER projection that showed the Ghost Groper Clan?"_

"_Ohhhhh! Naruto, you are on a ROLL tonight!"_

"_It's 'cause you're not blind-sighted by Ky."_

_Luna's temple throbbed, and she stuck her chin out defiantly. "Maybe Ky just makes you look duller in comparison."_

_With that, she marched off, and Rei bit her lip to keep from giggling at Naruto's rather homicidal expression._

_"You know, Rei-Rei...__Sometimes, I figure I have the patience of a damn saint to NOT strangle her."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Luna ended up leading them to a door with lots of sacred paper on it. Rei held up a finger as Luna opened it._

"_Hmm...A red flag's going up in my head right now...Sacred paper doesn't seem like a good thing around here, Lun- HOLY SHIT!" She screeched as the first thing she saw was her reflection._

_Luna didn't even blink, and Naruto patted Rei's shoulder. "Aw, c'mon Rei-Rei. Your dark circles aren't THAT noticeable."_

_She groaned and peered at her reflection a little closer, grazing the circles under her eyes with a pale hand. "Gah! Naruto, I didn't even SEE those until you pointed them oooouutt! Unnnhhhh..." She whined. It was rather unlike her._

_He rolled his eyes and pulled Rei away from the mirror. "Well, look on the bright side. At least you still have your perfect Rei-Rei ass."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Naruto, I, uhhh...nevermind." She went down the hall, through the Rope Hallway, and opened the door._

_They ended up in the room they woke up in with Miku the other night. "Well, Luna. Good job. It appears you've led us to certain death," Naruto said with a smirk._

_She pointed a menacing finger at him. "JUST because I said that to YOU when we were with Mi-" Rei sighed impatiently. "CHILDREN! Can we PLEASE just keep going?"_

_They blinked innocently and looked at their feet. "Soooorrryyy Reeeiii-Reeeiii," they said in sweet unison._

_She just sweatdropped and rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Rei headed for the door with the blue lantern, which did NOT have a doll in on it, and opened it. _

_Just like that, they were awake._


	14. Names And Ghost Rapes

**Yay, I'm back!**

**Well, i ASSUME you're excited, but reviews are dodgy here, so whatever :D**

**But anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

They awoke with gasps, as per usual. Again, Luna's tattoo didn't appear. "So, lemme get this straight...We could've just used the exit to come back to reality this WHOLE TIME?" Naruto asked groggily.

Luna nodded slowly. "I think so...That fricking SUCKS." She hopped up. "I'm going to pee," she announced, and he sweatdropped.

"Have fun."

"I shall!"

As soon as she got a good look at the hallway, she felt a pang of fear. Rei's hallway was so creepy.

After taking her usual morning pee, she decided that once she got up in the morning, she'd take a shower. FINALLY.

When she made her way back, Naruto was pouting and Rei was rolling her eyes. "What'd I miss?"

"Rei-Rei over here thinks it'd be a WONDERFUL idea to go back to sleep."

Rei sighed. "Naruto, until we finish whatever it is we need to do, we wiill have no choice but to keep sleeping, even through the day. We might as well go back to sleep and finish, right?"

Luna plopped down onto her spot on the couch with a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, Rei's right. I'd rather get this dream sequence OVER with, if you don't mind."

Naruto looked between them for a few moments, then groaned and floped onot his back, yawning. "I _hate_ it when you're right! It's always over the bad shit, never the good stuff."

Luna rolled her eyes, and Rei gave them a half-wave before going upstairs. "Sweet dreams, you two," she called out with a tiny laugh.

"Oh, that shit's not even FUNNY!" They both shouted, making her just laugh even louder.

_

* * *

_

_They awoke back in the doors to the part of the manor with a Rope Hallway...What did Miku call it when Luna asked? _

_**..Hmmm...Oh! The Himuro Mansion! Yes, that's it. How could I forget, after all the lessons over this place I had... **_

_Naruto gestured to a door with a golden Angry Mask hanging on it. "This is the door I was talking about. Where all the freaky stuff happened."_

_Oh, that's right. While Luna was chasing Past Self, him and Miku ran into this room and met a female ghost who had been a victim of what Naruto referred to as 'sick sadistic pervertedness meets medieval torture'. Miku wouldn't talk about it, and played the Amnesiac Card when anyone even mentioned it._

_So of course Luna decided to go take a peek at it. "Cool, let's go."_

_Naruto gulped and opened the door, leading them into a room with frail-looking planks to walk on where the floor had caved in and flooded in certain areas._

_They crossed them pretty easily, and reached a door. Inside the OTHER door was a room with a rather large wooden cage in it. "Last time we went through here, we saw a kid sitting there," Naruto explained, pointing to a bench in the room._

_There were bookshelves and such there, too. It looked pretty lived-in. Rei nodded and headed for the other door, and Luna immediately recognized the torture device._

_It was a huge circular platform with rotating spiky columns. There was blood staining the platform, and blood filled the indents around it, which formed a circle and rays on the floor._

"_I know this device! It's part of the legend..."_

"_What legend?" Rei and Naruto asked in unison. _

_She shivered a little. "The Himuro Mansion. It was part of a lesson they taught me on the Occult Folklore of Japan. We sometimes deal with such things, you know, since Japan is one of the most supernaturally active locations in the world. The Himuro Mansion has a lot of mystery behind it. A whole family was murdered here, and no one knows how or why, or even who did it. Although most think it was the father, the Head of the family, who then killed himself, as do most fathers-slash-murderers."_

_Rei looked disturbed already, probably more so about the fact that Luna knew all this, and Naruto just nodded._

"_Afterwards, the Himuro Mansion became known as the Cursed Mansion. Anyone who went inside was either never heard from again, or were cursed to die a gruesome and mysterious death."_

"_Sounds kinda like The Grudge, if you ask me," Naruto interjected, and she rolled her eyes._

"_It had to originate from some basis of truth, didn't it?"_

"_I guess. Whatever, keep going."_

"_THANK you. Although the whole history of the Mansion and its owners are pretty much unknown, there is one theory in particular as to what might've triggered such unfortunate events. The Strangling Ritual."_

"_...The what?" Rei asked._

"_The Strangling Ritual. It is merely speculation, but...I think we have just proved its existence. The theory goes that this Shinto-originated ritual kept what the Himuros called the Hell Gates from opening. If they were to be opened, the Calamity would occur and Malice would spill out into the world."_

"_So...What do they DO during this Strangling Ritual?" Rei asked slowly, looking at the spiked wheels and blood-stained platform._

_Luna sucked in a breath; this was her least favorite part of the legend. "Well...It IS merely speculation, since the families that lived nearby are either missing, were mysteriously killed, or just plain don't know about it...But the Maiden was laid out on this platform, tied down by ropes. The ropes bound her in the order of right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg. There is also a rope tied around her neck; my guess would be so her family, who are performing the ritual, would not have to hear as many screams."_

"_They pull these wheels, pulling her apart limb from limb, and the blood-stained ropes are then used to bind the Hell Gate, preventing them from opening and causing the Calamity."_

_Rei and Naruto stared at the device with horrified looks on their faces. "That would explain why she looked so fucked-up," Naruto said quietly._

"_How often did they do this?"_

"_From what we can gather, every ten years. The Maiden was chosen as a young girl during a game of Demon Tag held here, in the Mansion's courtyard. The last girl to be tagged was chosen, and would stay isolated from the world for ten years. The Maiden must not have any attachments to this earth. If she does, it will keep her soul here, and the Hell Gates would not be stopped."_

_"For something speculative, you sure know a lot about it," Rei pointed out doubtfully. Luna nodded. "I know. The Agency is nothing if not thorough, even with speculatory subjects. But still..." She brushed her hand along a bit of the platform, wiping off some bloody dust. "It was hard to read all of that and not picture yourself in the same position as the Maiden, and how awful it must be to endure such a ritual..."_

_Rei shook her head sadly, and Naruto suddenly jerked his head up. "Hey, wait! Do you think that cage in the other room could be where the Maiden was kept?"_

_Luna made a thinking noise. "Huh. I guess so." _

_And with that, they went to check it out._

_

* * *

_

_Luna was the first to go in, being the only one not really bothered by the creepiness. As usual. She looked around the small room and found a diary laying there. "Hey, look, another diary."_

"_What does it say?" Rei asked, to which Naruto sighed. "Something depressing and creepy, no doubt."_

_Luna rolled her eyes and flipped it open. _

"_**Snow is falling. It's a quiet night. This could be the last snow of the ten years of changing seasons I have watched from this window.**_

_**As I watch the snow, I get the feeling that something has passed. Finally, I have severed all of my attachments.**_

_**I'll give my body over to the ropes and seal the gates.**_

_**-Kizuna Himuro**."_

_Naruto cocked his head as she exited the cage. "Y'know, I just realized something. How come they only write a page or two in a whole diary? That seems like such a waste of paper..."_

_Luna and Rei sweatdropped. "Naruto, you're so right. I'm sure that was the first thing on their minds when they wrote it."_

"_Lu-naaaa, don't say it so sarcastic-like!"_

"_Why?"_

"_It's insulting," he replied with a slight pout._

_She just rolled her eyes. "Such a baby," she muttered to herself, making him imitate her behind her back._

_Rei was laughing when they heard a painfully familiar high-pitched voice echo throughout the room. "Why are you so bitchy to him? Oh, wait, I forgot. You ARE a bitch. I'm warning you, Naruto Uzumaki. Watch out, or you'll be the next victim on the list of Luna Sasaki, cold-blooded murder extraordinare!" Past Self exclaimed._

_Her voice bounced off the walls in a way that made them think she was all around them at once. Luna's fists clenched. "Bitch, that's gonna come back to bite you in the ass! We'll see how cold-blooded your murder is when I'm through with you!"_

"_Oh-ho-ho, I'm shaking in my boots!" She replied rather immaturely before giggling mischieviously._

_Her giggles slowly faded out, and Luna shivered a little. How could she be so...CREEPY? Her arm stung a little now; it was almost like the reaction certain ghosts had on her tattoo. A hand plopped on her shoulder, and she almost, VERY NEARLY, knocked the person flat on their ass, but she resisted the urge._

_It was Naruto after all, and he'd be bitching about it for a good three hours afterward if she had. "Hey, did you hear that?"_

"_Hear what, the creepy kid mocking me? Nope."_

_He rolled his eyes before grinning again. "She mentioned your last name. You have one of those, too, not just a grannie or parents!"_

_She thought about it a minute, then her eyes widened. "Holy shit, she did. What was it? Oh, right. Luna Sasaki. Kind of weird-sounding, an American-ish name with a Japanese surname.." She wondered out loud._

_Naruto's grin got bigger. "I think it sounds awesome."_

_She beamed at that, and Rei and Naruto pretended not to hear her as she repeated her name over and over for most of the dream sequence._

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWO ****HOURS LATER...**_

_They backtracked and snapped a picture as a girl in robes walked across the roof to the other building._

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_...Through the Creepy Stained Midget Tunnel?" Naruto suggested. They all sighed and went through the tunnel._

"_All my fault...never should've survived...To be blamed...that's the best way..." They heard someone muttering as they went through the tunnel._

"_That sounds like Yoshino," Rei whispered. Luna just shook her head and headed for the door. "Maybe, but I really don't wanna know," she replied as she opened it._

_They were greeted by lots and lots of blood in a corner. Naruto nodded brightly. "Yep, I think we're going the right way, FINALLY."_

_Right on cue, a Ghost Groper Clan Member appeared out of nowhere, heading for Naruto. "For the Kuze Shrine!" He exclaimed._

_Luna was quite happy about Naruto getting potentially groped, but alas, it was too perfect. The Ghost Groper Clan Member turned towards her at the last minute, reaching for her with one hand and swinging his wooden weapon with the other._

_She just blinked as he went right through her, stumbling into the wall. Naruto sweatdropped, then started laughing as Rei took some Fatal Frames. "Dude, your Shrine fricking FAILS if they hire dumbasses like you!"_

_She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "YOU fail all the time, Naruto, give the ghost dude a break!"_

"_You're DEFENDING the GHOST GROPER? HE JUST FRICKING WENT RIGHT THROUGH YOU! If THAT'S not Ghost Rape, I dunno WHAT IS!"_

_Rei's eyebrows shot up at that, and Luna's temple throbbed as she kicked him into a shelf effortlessly. _

_Naruto groaned as she plucked some Type-14 he had knocked off and reloaded her camera. "Oh, lookie here. How kind of you."_

"_I hate you."_

"_I know you do."_

_Rei just sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was still a kid, but then I'm around you two and wish it were legal to throw you down wells instead."_

_While Naruto was busy getting all offended, Luna nodded sympathetically at Rei before picking up a heavy old book Clan Member had dropped during his Epic Failure._

**

* * *

**

_"_**Moriya Tome 2**

**When building or repairing the Kuze**

**Shrine and the Last Passage, all the **

**carpenters of the Moriya family**

**except for their leader must be**

**prepared to stay behind, never to return.**

**Excluding one who exceeds in their**

**craft, all the carpenters must**

**fulfill their duty to protect the**

**secrets of the shrine by being buried**

**as the sacrificial pillars lining it.**

**The remaining Moriya carpenter must**

**become the Master Builder and ensure**

**that the craft is carried on to the**

**next generation.**_"_

_Sometime during her reading, the two stopped arguing like morons and listened in. Naruto was the first to speak._

"_...For such fancy word-usage, he sure was a dumbass."_

_

* * *

_

_Once they got upstairs, the echoing of Yoshino's voice returned, but disappeared as they went up the stairs that led to the roof. _

_Luna was, NATURALLY, the one they voted to scale the roof, and she sighed heavily before opening it._

"_So...Is it the Chisel Kid that I'm following or what?" She wondered out loud. Once she got inside, she heard murmuring coming from the floor. _

_It seemed to be more focused towards the left corner of the room, and she realized it was a loose floorboard. But it was pulled right back down every time she lifted it, and since that was the only thing going on, she sighed in disappointment before leaving._

_

* * *

_

_When they got back to the stairs hallway, the echoing voice grew stronger as they neared where they had last battled Yoshino._

_But nothing was there._

_Naruto poked Luna's shoulder, making her jump. "What?" He pointed to the closet. "Was that doll there before?"_

_She glared at him. "That's SO not funny!"_

"_No, I'm serious!" He said defensively before whipping out his camera. Luna crept a little closer to him, curious and terrified all at once._

_When he was about to take a picture, the doll's head turned up to look at him with an eery smile._

"_Naruto, I don't think this is such a good idea," Luna squeaked. She had a death-grip on his arm at this point. Do you SEE how terrified she really was?_

"_Oh, chill, what's the worse that could- SHIT!" He shouted as a head with an insanely long and narrow neck fell to lay in front of the doll._

_The woman's face was frozen in sheer surprise and horror. _

_Luna swore she almost fainted at the sight. "Even if a doll peeps out of the closet, you must not look in, lest you too become a doll," she recited before shivering and walking off._

_Naruto sweatdropped. "And does she explain where the hell she learned that from? Nope, of course not. THAT WOULD MAKE FRICKING SENSE."_

_

* * *

_

_They left and headed even further back, towards the series of wide rooms. Rei snapped a picture of Yoshino, who was sitting in the fetal position on the floor. She seemed to be cowering from something, though Luna couldn't tell what it was._

_They went even FURTHER back, exiting the series of rooms to head toward the room with the pot dangling from the ceiling, when a Ghost Groper Clan Member lunged at Rei unexpectedly._

_Naruto was the quickest to shoot pictures of him, and five combo shots later, he just up and disentegrated. Rei headed down the hall, towards the double-doors._

"_Guess we really ARE going the right way." _

_Sure enough, they soon found a trail of blood, and an even uglier Ghost Groper Clan Member appeared with a spear, ready to hack them up._

_Of course, they OWNED his ass, and he dropped the ever-familiar book the especially ugly ones seemed to be carrying._

**Moriya Tome 4**

**The 'Rift Shrine' makes the priestess**

**wander for eternity, and stakes must**

**be used to impale her limbs while**

**praying for her peaceful rest.**

**When the priestess is restless, it is**

**necessary to build on to 'The Shrine of**

**Sleep' and pray for her to slumber.**

**The Shrine of Sleep is sealed within**

**a dream to prevent the priestess from**

**escaping and the spread of the Rift.**

**To keep the Rift from spreading, we**

**must ensure that she stays staked**

**down, and pray for her eternal sleep.**_"_

"_Wait, wait, wait. What the hell happened to Tome Number 3?" Naruto asked._

_Luna sweatdropped. "MY guess would be that we still have one left, seeing as there's still a tiny bit of spiritual pressure lingering."_

"_...Oh. Well, CRUD."_

_

* * *

_

_They ended up cimbing the ladder in the room with the dangly pot, unlocking it with the Bellflower Key, and there was a Shrine Maiden waiting for them, looking down at something._

_Rei peeked into the hole and wordlessly snapped a picture. "What was on it?"_

"_Men in white, looking up at me," she replied quietly. Luna held up a shiny brightly. "We got a LEEEEAAADDDD! Sleeping Stone!"_

"_YAY!" The other two shouted, but then Naruto ruined it._

"_Wait...Where the hell do we even PUT that?"_

"_...FUCK!"_


	15. I Should've Died, Too

**Ta-da! A new chapp!**

**Slight warning: by the end of this chapp, i am almost 100% sure that you WILL be going "What...the EFF?"**

**Just saying.**

**Enjoy!**

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS ****LATER...**_

_They FINALLY figured out that the Sleeping Stone was supposed to go in the room with the flickering lights._

_Luna looked all over the room, everywhere except for the wall on which Past Self's threat was still written, clear as day._

_She worked the puzzle quickly, and they realized they were in the room they had peeked at where they actually GOT the Sleeping Stone._

"_This is IT! I fucking DID IT!" Luna cheered, and ignoring Rei and Naruto's pointing, she simply bashed the ghost's head in as it randomly appeared beside her._

_After lots of bashing and three Fatal Frames, he disappeared. Luna was more-or-less bouncing in place, she was so happy._

_As Naruto laughed and picked up the book Ugly Ghost Groper dropped, Luna felt the pressure in her head loosen completely._

_"_**Moriya Tome 3**

**After the 'Unleashing' happened, the**

**priestess who had wandered loose from**

**the Chamber of Thorns roamed about**

**the manor as if in a dream.**

**Those passages the priestess entered**

**were engulfed by the Rift, and fell**

**into darkness.**

**The 'Rift Shrine' is a hidden shrine**

**that ensures that the priestess  
wanders forever and never escapes,**

**and the Rift does not spill forth.**_"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto shut the book with a very triumphant **THUNK**, and Luna didn't even roll her eyes. Instead, she skipped towards the exit, through the flickering-light-passage._

_Naruto and Rei sweatdropped. "Luna's skipping, Rei-Rei."_

"_I know, Naruto."_

"_LUNA. Luna Sasaki...is SKIPPING."_

"_Yeah, I KNOW, Naruto. I was there when it occurred."_

"_HURRY UP AND LET'S HAUL ASS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MANOR, I'M READY TO TAKE A SHOWER!" She shouted from way ahead, and they exchanged another glance before running after her._

"_LUNA, WAIT UP, YOU'RE GONNA GET GROPED IF YOU KEEP SHOUTING ALL CHEERFUL LIKE THAT!"_

"_SHUT UP, NARUTO!"_

"_I just don't wanna end up saving your ass," he informed her as he finally caught up._

_She stuck her chin out defiantly. "Then DON'T." And with that, she skipped off down the hall._

_He huffed, looking to Rei for assistance, but she just grinned. _

_His temple throbbed. "...Some help YOU are."_

_Luna was the first to reach the huge double-doors, and the doll was indeed gone. The sacred ropes and papers were singed, some had fallen off._

_She moved to open it, but froze when she heard Machete Dude's voice behind her._

"_It must not be opened...The priestess, ...the shrine must be sealed."_

* * *

Luna awoke and was almost caught off-guard by the Tattoo. Her temple throbbed as she felt Naruto staring at her.

"...WHAT."

"Luna, did you know that not only is it a lot darker, but it's spread to your bo-"

"YES, I know, I can feel it," she hissed. "NOW STOP LOOKING AT MY CHEST!"

He started snickering, but then the phone rang right after her Tattoo subsided. Luna answered it.

"Yes? Kurosawa residence, this is Luna SASAKI speaking," she announced proudly. Naruto popped his head up next to hers so he could hear, and she was very tempted to shove him away.

What could she say? Instinct.

There was breathing on the other end, and right before Naruto was about to tell Luna to hang up, they heard the person speak.

_**"...I should've died too."**_

"YOSHINO?" They both screeched. The line went dead, and they just looked at each other in disbelief. She dropped the phone in shock.

"Luna?"

"Yes?"

"Have your Occult Lessons ever covered THIS?"

"I am afraid not. When it comes to phone telegrams from the deceased, I am extremely inexperienced."

He didn't even point out that she was starting to go emotionless again, about scared shitless himself.

And THAT'S when the tv flickered on, showing nothing but static. They both jumped with shrill screams.

"IT'S THE RING! LUNA, HOLY CRAP, IT'S THE RIIIIIINNNNNGGG! TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF, BEFORE SHE COMES OUT AND KILLS US!" He screeched.

"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE _NEAR_ THAT THING, I'M STAYING _RIGHT_ HERE!" She screeched in reply.

Rei ran downstairs, obviously shaken by their screams. Who wouldn't be? But still.

"Is everything all..." She trailed off, trying to take in what she was seeing. Her tv was just a black screen, as usual, turned off.

Naruto and Luna both had their eyes squeezed shut, holding onto each other and spazzing out.

"Um...Luna? Naruto? Was there something wrong with my tv set?" She asked carefully.

They slowly opened their eyes, and Luna pointed at the black screen defiantly. "Now...THAT be some major bullshit!"

* * *

"It was on and going all static-y, I swear!" Naruto added.

Rei nodded slowly, putting her phone back on the hook. "Right...I believe you, most definitely."

They brightened. "You do?"

She nodded, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "Only something that creepy could _possibly_ get Luna so freaked out that she'd let you hold her."

They both sweatdropped and backed away from each other, laughing anxiously.

"I-It was a scary and intense moment, Rei!"

"Precisely, Rei-Rei! Jeez, I'm not like Ky, putting the moves on her," Naruto muttered.

Luna cleared her throat, squaring her shoulders and obviously trying to get her bearings. "I'm just gonna...go take a shower."

Naruto smirked. "Do you need me to come with you?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT."

Naruto snickered, and as soon as she was out of sight, Rei held out her hand for a high-five. "Nice one, Naruto."

* * *

When Luna stood before the doorway of the bathroom, at first she didn't notice anything. Although, it WAS odd that the curtain was drawn.

See, in Rei and Miku's bathroom, the first thing you saw when you walked in was a large mirror and the sink.

To your right was a curtain that usually remained drawn, leaving the washing machine and shower clearly visible.

The toilet was in another room entirely.

But today, the curtain was being used. And due to so many people having Tattoos and the natural supernaturalness of Rei's house, there was _always _spiritual pressure, so she had no idea there was a ghost there.

But right before she walked into the bathroom, she noticed a pair of feet poking out from under the curtain.

Her pulse throbbed a litlle harder, and she cautiously stepped in. As soon as she was far enough in, the feet disappeared, and Luna looked up just in time to see Yoshino walking past her in the mirror, heading down the hallway towards the Dark Room, where Rei developed her photos.

Luna had the impulse to follow, but shook her head quickly as she looked at her reflection. Rei wasn't the only one with lack of sleep showing on her face.

Her face was paler than usual, making the dark shadows under her eyes cast a strong contrast.

Great.

And her hair was a much duller shade of red.

As for her eyes...her _very eyes_...they looked almost _empty_. Well, let's not even go there. She didn't want to have any flashbacks about the Agency after JUST waking up from a _different _type of nightmare.

* * *

The hot water was working wonders for her sore muscles, she could feel it. From Ghost Gropers, to scaling roofs, to being on her feet all night, and to trying her best NOT to kill Naruto (which was becoming increasingly difficult), her body had just about had it.

Rei had said she could use whatever she needed, so she found the best-smelling shampoo and conditioner and had at it.

So of COURSE she heard scratching on the frosted-glass window of the shower right as she was washing the soap out of her hair.

Her temple throbbed. "Naruto, go away."

A pause, then more scratching. She huffed. "The hot spring was one thing, _this time _I won't hesitate to kick your ass once I get out."

The scratching just increased, and Luna tried to wash the rest out as quickly as possible. "DAMMIT, NARUTO!" She snapped.

But then she heard painfully familiar giggling.

Luna FINALLY got all the soap out and reluctantly opened her eyes. She stifled a scream; that kid was a lot fucking closer than she had thought.

She had her face pressed against the glass, grinning eerily, but she returned to her normal expression after successfully scaring the crap out of her Future Self.

"Ah. You finally realized I was here, and NOT that Naruto kid. Honestly, why would anyone peek at YOU?"

Luna's temple throbbed; in a strange way she was offended. "He already has before, and the bathroom lock MYSTERIOUSLY disappeared early on during my stay..."

Her temple throbbed even more as Past Self gave her a full-on eye inspection. She had seen quite a few men give her that same inspection, but it was exponentially creeper to see it on HERSELF.

AS AN EIGHT-OR-NINE-YEAR-OLD.

Ugh.

Past Self's eyes widened. "WOW, I grew. What size _are _those things?"

Luna turned away, flustered, and Past Self giggled. "Don't worry, I've seen bigger...But damn, I've seen smaller too! I did AWESOME! Time is good to you and me, I can tell."

Luna finally lost her patience. "Look, _me_. Can you PLEASE tell me why you're in here? I'm starting to feel kind of queasy."

Past Self snapped out of her glee in an instant. "That would be due to all the spiritual pressure. We're like spirit conductors, y'know."

* * *

She cocked her head; Past Self had now officially piqued her interest. "No, I _didn't _know. Care to elaborate?"

Past Self sat on the washer, swinging her legs. "Why do you think you always know when something's coming? How come no one else knows in quite the same way as you?"

"Chakra."

"Naruto's fricking clueless, don't give me that shit. You know as well as I do ghosts seem to just naturally draw their energy around you. Besides; How do you think you pulled off such a massacre at such a young age, anyways? You had to have SOME other source than sheer bitchiness."

Luna sighed impatiently. "Okay, YOU don't give me THAT shit. What did I do? What happened? I know I murdered someone, apparently in cold blood, but...enough is enough. How am I supposed to 'pay' when you won't tell me what I _did_?"

Past Self disappeared, then reappeared in the damn shower.

She narrowed her eyes, and Luna couldn't help but back away quite a bit. "Pay...You'll pay, whether you remember or not. I've told you several times, and I'll tell you again. It's not _my _job to tell you. You just need to _pay_. You need to be punished."

Past Self disappeared again, reappearing with Miku's razor in her hand, waving it carelessly. "You need to realize how much pain you inflicted that night, and experience it first hand, ten times over."

Luna winced as she felt her collarbone sting, but didn't dare look. Past Self tossed the razor carelessly to the side, and it skidded across the tile.

"You wanna know something funny?" She didn't wait for an answer, but instead moved right in front of Luna, and it was one of the most intimidating things she had ever seen.

"If you die, _I _die too. Obviously. But I really don't care if I cease to exist. In fact, it would be a blessing. I would _love _for you to die. In fact...I could kill you myself. Right here...Right now..."

Luna's eyes narrowed. "I'd like to see you fucking _try_, bitch."

_**

* * *

**_

_**SIX ****MINUTES LATER...**_

Rei was still bent over the tv, trying to figure out what the hell happened. Naruto was busy recounting everything to Miku.

With a lot of exaggerations on his "epic bravery", of course, and how Luna "trembled like a little kid while I took on the demon in the tv".

"In fact, I'm sure she's still in shock right now. She could be crying in the shower for all I know," Naruto was saying as if he hadn't been just as scared during the whole thing.

Rei rolled her eyes as Miku said in an awed voice, "Wow...You're _so _brave...How could you not be _terrified _of something like that?"

He shrugged. "It's a gift, really."

Rei brushed her hands together. "Well, that's it. I quit. I fricking _quit_. I guess we'll just blame it on The Ring, this tv's in mint condition."

Miku sighed heavily and hopped up. "I'll fix breakfast then. It may be about 4 in the morning, but I'm starving, and it's _technically _morning," she said cheerfully.

They heard a crash amidst the usual shower noises, and they looked at each other. "What the hell...?" Naruto wondered out loud.

They heard two more crashes, along with a shrill scream that sounded a lot like... "It's that kid!" He realized suddenly.

Rei stopped him as he attempted to run back there. "Ehhhh, _I _got this," she said with an anxious laugh.

He thought about it for a second, then immediately nodded. "Oh, right, right. Sorry." _Forgot she was naked._

Miku set a pan and pot on the stove, then started wringing her hands worriedly. "What do you think happened? Do you think..."

Naruto flashed her a reassuring smile, hopping onto the counter nearest her. Which was pretty damn near; BONUS! "Trust me, Luna can handle whatever it is that kid tried to do to her."

But then, of course, they heard not only the water stop, but hurried talking. And only Rei's voice could be heard so far, so she must be panicking.

Miku gave him a worried look, and he waved her off. "Nah, she's fine. Trust me! She can take it."

Aaaaaaand THAT'S when Rei decided to bring Luna through there. She was still soaking wet, and Rei had her wrapped up in a towel and blanket, cradled in her arms.

There was already a slight bruise starting to form on her forehead, and a couple spots of blood were on the edges of the towel and blanket. Miku's eyes widened, and Naruto tried to hide his surprise.

"Of course, I've been wrong _before_..."

* * *

"Rei, what..." Miku began, but trailed off with a shake of the head.

"When I got in there, that fucking kid was giggling. Had your razor in her hand, matter of fact. She saw me and disappeared, but Luna was conscious for a minute there. She was talking to herself about how she should've warned someone, or something like that. I couldn't understand, she was talking too fast," Rei explained hurriedly as she took her upstairs and, seeing it as the best option, to Yuu's room.

The other two exchanged a look and followed. "Wait wait wait, so...Luna just got _owned _by that little kid? In the shower? With a RAZOR?" Naruto clarified.

"Hold on. Miku, grab me some spare clothes or something, would you please? And no, Naruto, she wasn't OWNED. I think she actually _won_. She's just in shock."

Miku nodded and headed for her room to get some pajamas. Naruto stayed outside the door, like a good boy, but he could just barely hear Luna muttering to herself.

"I shouldn't have let them out of my head. I should've told someone. I...I should've died, too...I should've died, too..."


	16. Talk To Me

**Ta-da! I'm back! Please hold all applause till the end of the chapp.**

**Oh, and for all those who have actually heard of and played this game, YES, i know, im not following everything STRICTLY chronologically by adding the last part of this chapp in. But most of this fic will maintain the game's storyline, plotline, and timeline, and all other things that end with "line". So...One less thing to worry about! Yay!**

**Hahaha enjoy!**

* * *

Miku slid past Naruto into the room before shutting the door a little further. But not all the way. He could still hear her muttering.

He was BEYOND confused at this point.

After a few minutes, he heard Rei talking to her very softly, and Miku walked back out. She nodded at Naruto with a reassuring smile.

Wasn't HE supposed to flash the reassuring smiles to MIKU? "Rei's trying to calm her down. It's the morning, so if she falls asleep, I don't think she'll have the dreams. Hopefully she'll just...sleep."

He followed her downstairs, to the kitchen. "Sleep would be awesome."

Rei soon came downstairs and nodded at them before heading towards the door to the rest of the house. "Rei? Are you going to go check out the bathroom?" Miku asked.

"No, I saw enough the first time. I have some photos to develop on my camera. And Luna's," she added quietly.

Rei left, and after a few seconds, Miku turned to look at him as she got some food out of the fridge.

"Naruto?"

"Huh?"

"...Can I ask you something? About Luna?"

"I...Guess so, if you really want to..."

She hesitated, opening a new package of some type of meat. "Why does she act the way she does? So...odd?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Well, one minute she's like a normal teenager, like you or me, but then...She changes. She doesn't know about a certain term, or she talks a lot more formal. And she never mentions anything about why that little girl follows her around lately. Why?"

Naruto hopped onto the counter, as usual, then sighed. "Well, I dunno about that kid, but the rest...it's hard to explain. See, she _isn't_-"

Before he could continue, they heard Rei scream "YOSHINO! HOLY SHIT, YOU SCARED ME!", and they both shivered a little.

"She hangs around here a lot, have you noticed?"

"Yeah, I have. She scared the SHIT out of me one night when I woke up mid-dream," Miku replied with a sigh.

He laughed and hopped off the counter. "You want some help with all this food?"

"Sure!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS**** LATER...**_

"So I looked at these pictures, AFTER Yoshino Takigawa decided to appear sitting in the fetal position in the corner of my dark room...Miku, do you think you could go out and research these for me tomorrow?" Rei asked on the way to put her dish in the sink.

She nodded and took the pictures, flipping through them as she walked upstairs to slip on some pajamas and get ready for bed. "Sure thing. I'll let you know when I find something."

Miku stopped at the top of the stairs and glanced at Rei. "Do you think she's hungry?"

"Only one way to find out..."

They both looked at Naruto, and he laughed anxiously. "No no no, no way! Why me?"

"She won't talk to anyone!"

"And you automatically think 'THIS is a job for...NARUTO!', _really_?"

Miku sighed as she reached to open her door, wary of the argument this might start. She paused to look at him, hand on the handle, as Rei sighed also.

"She won't talk to either of us. She's been spending the day mumbling...crying, sometimes...staring at the wall, too. But that look in her eyes hasn't changed all day long, no matter what she might be doing. She looks empty. Like she's not really there. Someone _needs _to get her to talk. And if _we _can't do it, it should be you. She trusts you the most," Rei said quietly.

He looked between them both before sighing. "Fine, fine, fine. But if she kicks me out flat on my ass, I get to say I tried and you can't say SHIT."

Miku smiled. "That's so sweet of you."

Rei sweatdropped after realizing Miku was dead serious, and Naruto grinned triumphantly before heading for the kitchen to grab some of the leftovers. "Yes, I know. I'm a kind guy by nature."

* * *

Images. Voices. So many of them. _So many_.

Luna knew she probably looked like a complete psychopath just staring at the wall, sitting up in her bed motionlessly, but she wasn't seeing _just_ a blank wall.

She was seeing blood. Blood on carpet. The little girl, looking really scary. She heard sobbing. She heard screaming. She heard laughing.

She felt pain. Both in the visions and in reality.

Neither had anything to do with the Tattoo.

There were little moments where the fog subsided, and she could make out tiny tidbits of reality.

Like that fact that she wasn't as wet anymore. And how stiff her arms and legs were.

And the fact that her head, neck, and collarbone hurt like hell from bruises and scrapes.

And then, the next time the fog loosened, she heard three raps on the door. "Luna?" It was Naruto.

The door swung open, she could hear the _swoosh_. Her eyes were staring at the wall still, but then she smelled...food.

That was when she realized how good food sounded, and the fog went away completely. It was replaced with a starved feeling.

Luna shifted to look at him, and though he did a pretty good job at hiding it, she could see the surprise on his face. Her guess was that her expression looked much like she felt.

"You hungry?"

She nodded stiffly, and he plopped the plate onto her lap. "You scared the hell out of me, you know that? What the hell happened in there? I _know_ you didn't let that fucking kid _own_ you," he said as she started eating.

Naruto probably wanted her to answer, but she hesitated. She was surprised she could eat so easily with all the bizarre images she had seen since her showdown with her Past Self, but didn't question it.

She was fricking starving.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, too bad. I'd at least love to know who that damn kid is and why she's following you around like a demented little puppy."

Luna turned dangerously pale, and he backtracked quickly. "U-Uhhh, or we can talk about something else. Maybe I approached that whole thing just entirely wrong."

She ate a little more before sighing. "Naruto, what else would we _possibly_ talk about? The World Cup? Like either of us have been able to do anything besides be paranoid during the day and evade ghosts at night."

"Well then, let's talk about it."

"No."

"But you JUST SAID-"

"I'm not talking about it," she snapped defiantly.

There was about a five minute silence, and she sighed. "If this is uncomfortable for you, leave."

"Who said anything about being uncomfortable?"

"You're shifting from foot to foot and haven't talked in over five minutes. It's not your style," she replied matter-of-factly.

He nodded. "You're right. Shifting from foot to foot IS uncomfortable." And with that he plopped onto the bed beside her.

Her temple throbbed menacingly. "That is NOT what I meant."

* * *

"Well, I don't see another option."

"Leave."

"I'm not leaving."

"Then at least use that desk chair over there!"

"Nope, I already sat down, and my feet are asleep. I'm afraid I have no choice but to stay right here."

She folded her arms across her middle and glared at the wall defiantly. "You are way too persistent for your own good, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Is that Stubborn-Spy-Code for 'Fine, I'll talk'?"

"No."

"Which really means yes according to the Stubborn Spy Code."

"No."

"Which is a yes, so you agree, right?"

"NO."

"So, since you agreed on all counts, I guess you're gonna tell me now."

"NO I AM NOT!" She shouted, huffing angrily.

There was a brief silence, but then she glared at the wall even more intensely as she saw him peer even closer at her from the corner of her eye.

"...WHAT, Naruto."

"Nothing, just...See? I'm helping you feel better already!" He replied brightly.

She sighed rather heavily and shook her head. "Not hardly."

Silence.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe a little. BUT ONLY a little."

"So now you owe me. And I _demand _you talk to me."

"But-"

"This could be your Random Act of Kindness."

"But YOU said that I don't HAVE to pay you back wth another Random Act of-"

"I know what I said, dammit! Why won't you tell me? Don't you trust me?"

Luna looked at him for the first time since he had let himself into Yuu's room. "Don't you play that card on me."

"Please?"

"You won't believe me."

"Tell me anyway."

"Dammit, you're impossible!" She shouted, wincing as she gave herself a headache. She sighed and let her hand flop down into her lap, a telltale sign of her giving up.

"That _kid _is...She's me. Me at age eight or nine. And she's following me around because apparently I murdered my foster parents. She won't tell me what happened. She just insists that I have to _pay_...But...It's all my fault," she explained in a clipped and distant voice.

"Wait...So...That's _you_...From 5 or 6 years ago."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Damn, time was good to you, wasn't it?"

* * *

Luna gave him a look. "And what the hell is THAT supposed to mean?"

"Well, you know, uh...You grew."

She nodded slowly, eyeing him worriedly. "Yes, Naruto, that...tends to happen when you get older. How much did they leave out in your academy curriculum, exactly?"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what DO you mean?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Mini-Luna's a cute little kid and all that, but YOU'RE-"

"Okay, you know what, nevermind. You're missing the big picture here. _Again_."

"What?"

"Naruto, I...MURDERED...people. I murdered people! In cold blood. My foster parents. What about that just isn't _computing _in your head?"

He shook his aforementioned head. "None of it. You wouldn't do that."

"Yeah? And how would you know?"

"Because I know you."

"Yeah, you know me. About as much as _I_ know about me, because that's how long you've known me. Actually, less. But as far as my Past Self goes...you're just as clueless as I am, which is pretty damn clueless," she replied with a bitter laugh.

"Do you know for a _fact _that Mini-Luna's telling the truth? I mean, really, she could easily be lying just to mess with your head."

She shook her head. "No, no, that's not it. She at least has _some_ basis of truth...I...I _saw_ them. When she touched me. I saw them dying. I heard her..._me_, laughing. I saw blood. I saw Will carrying me, slung over his shoulder, out of the house before the police came. THAT must be how I ended up on the streets. It was cold blooded-murder, I saw it happen, I _fucking_...SAW IT," she said quickly, her voice cracking towards the end.

She was trembling again. The fog was making her vision blur around the edges. She nearly forgot where she was, she almost believed she was back in that house, just like she had the rest of the day...But then she snapped back to reality.

"Just because you saw and heard all that doesn't REALLY mean you did it. Maybe you're just seeing what she WANTS you to see."

"But..."

He patted her thigh before hopping up. "Nope, for once in your life, shut up. You didn't do it, and that's that. This is the one time I won't let you argue with me, so NEH. Now come on."

She plopped the plate onto the spot beside her and shook her head. "Come on where?"

"Downstairs."

"Why?"

"Stop asking so many stupid questions and just come ON already!"

Luna sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm still sore. I'm not moving unless you tell me why."

"Fine," he said simply, moving to leave the room.

She was admittedly a tiny bit disappointed, but then he changed directions and grabbed the plate of food, moving it to Yuu's bedside shelf.

Then, without another word, he dragged her closer to the edge and picked her up, ignoring her yelling.

* * *

"LET GO, YOU IDIOT! IT'S NIGHTTIME, I'LL WAKE EVERYONE UP!"

"Are you _kidding _me? No one can sleep right now, the sun JUST set!"

"So? PUT. ME. _DOWN_!"

"Nope," he said calmly, shifting her a little so he was supporting her more at the backs of her knees and shoulders.

She hated being carried, and dammit, he knew that. She ESPECIALLY hated being carried honeymoon style, and he knew that too.

That HAD to be why he insisted on doing it.

"This better be good," she muttered, finally relenting after realizing all she could get him to do at this point was set her down, and she'd have to walk all the way back to Yuu's room.

She may be an Agent, but when off duty, she was the laziest one around.

"Mikuuuuu, Rei-Reiiii, downstairs!" He shouted as they passed by their doors.

Rei ran downstairs after them, ready to yell at Naruto.

Miku poked her head out her door cautiously before grinning and following them as well.

Luna's arm was starting to hurt, flopping around uselessly at her side with all of his sudden movements, and both hands ended up gripping his shirt for dear life as he jumped the last step.

He sure found that _hilarious_. She just glared at him. "Don't make me kick your ass once I feel better."

"No need. You're about to thank me."

"_IS _that right."

"Yep."

"And what makes you think that?"

He sat down on the couch, and Luna tried to get off, but he was still holding her. She looked at him pointedly. "Is this the part where I tell you what I wish to receive for Christmas, or what?"

He laughed and let go. She flopped onto the cushion between him and Rei. Miku sat on his other side, and _that _sure put a grin on his face.

"So, _what _did you shout at us for exactly?" Miku asked, tilting her head sideways with curiosity.

Naruto grinned and grabbed the remote. "Even though this tv scared the _crap _outta Luna this morning-"

"And you," Luna and Rei added in unison, to which he just shot them dirty looks before gesturing to Miku. Miku decided it was best to just ignore the whole scenario.

"...Out of LUNA this morning, Rei-Rei insists it's in mint condition. Therefore, we're pulling an all-nighter."

* * *

"What?" Everyone asked as if the idea never occurred to them.

He rolled his eyes. "Look, if we don't go to sleep, the Manor of Sleep'll just have to catch us on the next one, right? Besides, _you're _all banged up, so we're one Fearless, Hot Spy Chick down. Which MEANS that I'll be stuck doing all the creepy stuff and have one less source of entertainment," he added at Luna, who sweatdropped.

"Um...Thanks for the title?"

"No problem, Renji introduced it. But anyway. SO...let us PULL this all-nighter, shall we?"

Miku hopped up excitedly. "I'll go make some popcorn."

"Awesomesauce!" Luna exclaimed, making everyone turn to look at her. She huffed. "What? Just because I'm a little shaken up, doesn't mean I can't eat still. Jeez."

Miku's grin returned, and they soon heard sounds of plastic being ripped off the popcorn packages. At the same time, the doorbell rang, and Rei stood. "I'll get that."

"I really hope it's not that Yoshino bitch trying to scare the crap outta me again," Naruto muttered, making Luna and Rei laugh.

After a few moments of watching him flip through channels, she ruffled his hair with mock annoyance. "Dammit, you're right. I _did _end up thanking you."

He just grinned, and she smiled back. They heard a gasp of surprise from Rei, and what she said made them both snap out of it REAL quick.

"...KEI AMAKURA? WHAT THE HELL ARE _YOU _DOING HERE?"


	17. Testosterone Induced Idiocy

**Well, here it is. The highly-anticipated Kei Vs. Naruto sequence! **

**XD**

**Hope you're not too disappointed or anything that no limbs or furniture are broken. Sadly, no one goes unconscious, either. But still, enjoy! **

* * *

Miku poked her head out of the kitchen to look around in interest, while Luna and Naruto shot straight up.

She wobbled a little, still shaky in the legs, and he steadied her a little. Instead of thanking him, she sighed inwardly as Kei and Rei came into view.

Luna could already see the mental laser beams Naruto was shooting him through his eyes. Kei nodded at everyone politely.

"Good evening Luna, Miku..._Naruto_." He said his name rather reluctantly. Almost threateningly.

"_Ky_," Naruto replied in an equally threatening tone.

"KEI," Everyone else corrected, making Naruto wave them off and Luna's temple throb. "So, what's Ky The College-Going Wonder doing here?" He asked Luna, whose temple throbbed some more.

"Like hell if I know!"

Rei sighed. "He was about to explain that to me before you opened your mouth," she informed Naruto, who blinked at her innocently.

Miku giggled, and Luna rolled her eyes. Kei cleared his throat. "Um, actually, I came for several reasons. One, my niece Mio's health is still rapidly declining. It's apparent I need your help. And also...I was concerned..."

"About _what_...Or, I mean, _who_?" Naruto asked in a tone that suggested he had a very good idea of what Kei meant.

"About those involved with the Cursed Tattoo," Kei replied smoothly, making Naruto huff. Luna just smirked and shook her head.

"And finally, I wish to see Yuu. It's been a long time, and he seems to be the only one whose dreams I can't see."

Everyone but Naruto winced at the mention of Yuu; he tilted his head to the side instead. "You mean, you don't know about him?"

"Don't know WHAT about him?" Kei replied worriedly. Rei looked very tired as she headed for the door to the other room. "Follow me, Mr. Amakura. I have something to show you..."

_She must be heading for Yuu's altar...Poor Rei..._

Naruto folded his arms and looked at Luna, who was biting her lip in thought. "Oh. You mean, during all your _wonderful_ talks with Ky, you never told him about Yuu?"

She glared at him. "Of course not. It was not my information to give."

They heard the microwave beep, and Miku quickly put another bag in there before shaking up the one that was done.

Naruto just shook his head. "I'd sleep with one eye open, if I were you."

She gave him a confused look. "Why?"

"You _never_ _know_ what he might do to you in the middle of the night."

_**

* * *

**_

_**BAM! POP!**_

"What the HELL is wrong with you?"

"ME? Did you not hear what you just said? Are you implying Kei will try and assault me, Naruto? Have you lost your damn MIND?"

"Have YOU?"

"NO, I always beat the crap out of you!"

"Fricking insane brat," he muttered, pouting a little as he rubbed the side of his face where she had smacked him.

Luna huffed and went into the kitchen, tired from that outburst, and soon heard him stomping up the stairs.

She slowly clambered onto the counter as Miku watched. Her look was one of pure amusement, and Luna huffed again.

"WHAT."

Miku shook her head with a tiny giggle. "Nothing, just...You two can be kind of cute sometimes."

_Cute? Did she just call me...AND Naruto...CUTE? TOGETHER? _

"Don't take this the wrong way or anything, Miku, but...What hallucinogenic are you abusing lately?"

Miku giggled again and got out two cups, pouring some hot tea into them. She handed one to Luna, who immediately drank it.

Her throat was so dry.

Even the way she drank her tea showed anger and annoyance, and Miku cracked a smile. "Call it a hunch, but you're pretty mad, Luna."

"No kidding. Can you believe that? He actually had the nerve to suggest...I mean, I know he wasn't too FOND of Kei, but still...He took it to a WHOLE new level," she ranted, gesturing wildly with her hands.

Miku patted her shoulder with a laugh before taking out the second package of popcorn, putting the third one inside and resetting the time.

She took out a new package for Kei.

"Naruto only does those things to protect you."

"I highly doubt that."

She rolled her eyes. "If he didn't care what happens to you, he wouldn't care about the relationship between you and someone else, namely Kei. Who happens to be a _very_ cute guy. With good jeans."

"That's what I thought too! What are they called again, dark-rinsed?"

"Dark-WASHED."

"Oh. See, I was close!"

Miku giggled again and sipped some tea daintily. Everything Miku did was dainty and graceful. No wonder Naruto liked her; she was less likely to stomp on his foot.

"Just...try and have some patience with Naruto. He's just trying to protect you. He can't help it if he cares a little TOO much..."

Luna shrugged indifferently, but Miku still saw the tiny smile.

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"Can we PLEASE just SETTLE on something?" Rei asked no one in particular as Naruto flipped through the Guide at warp-speed.

Every time Kei showed the slightest interest in something, Naruto immediately went on to the next one.

This also happened to mostly consist of movies Luna liked as well, so by this time she was constantly chanting Miku's advice in her head.

_Have some patience, he's just being overprotective...Have some patience, he's just being overprotective...Have some pateince, he's just.._

Her mental thoughts trailed off as Naruto landed on The Grudge 2. One of her all-time favorite movies. EVER.

And he knew it.

But dammit, Kei perked up as well. "I LOVE this movie!" Everyone shouted cheerfully. Including Kei.

She could see how pained Naruto was as he reluctantly flipped to the next show, and everyone groaned.

Luna cracked her knuckles professionally, a death glare etched onto her face. "That's it. Miku's advice has officially gone RIGHT out my mental window. Naruto, HAND ME the remote."

He turned his nose up like a little kid. "No."

"NOW."

"Nope."

"You've got until the count of three, or else."

"Or else WHAT? You'll bleed on me?"

She fingered the cut on her collarbone self-consciously, but the glare still remained on her face. "ONE..."

"NO WAY!"

"TWO..."

Naruto jumped off the couch and backed away. "_Lunaaa_, I'm WARNING you, I WILL defend myself.."

"...THREE! THAT'S IT, YOUR ASS IS _MINE_!" She shouted before Flash-Stepping onto his shoulders.

He promptly spun in spastic circles, screaming "What the FUCK?" at the top of his lungs. Luna calmly grabbed the remote and reappeared in her spot on the couch.

She tossed the remote to Kei, who turned it onto the Grudge 2. Everyone clapped, and Luna bowed.

Naruto sat down between her and Miku with a huff and pout. "_And_ you toss it to Ky. What a low blow, Lun-aaaa!" He whined.

She folded her arms across her middle, annoyance still clearly her dominant emotion, and Miku handed her a bag of popcorn. "Luckily for you, it's still on the opening credits."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FORTY-FIVE ****MINUTES OR SO LATER...**_

Miku gave her another amused look, and Luna rolled her eyes. They could now tell just how "protective" (here read as "competitive and idiotic") Naruto was.

Kei, being your typical guy, used The Grudge 2's creepiness and Luna's weakened state to his advantage, and was letting her lean on him.

Naruto, being _Naruto_, had _insisted_ on her propping her feet on him. _At least I took a shower...But still, I digress!_

And at the same time, he was more than happy to let Miku hide her face against him when she was "scared".

So Luna wasn't the _only _smart one.

But she swore, if Naruto's hand came anywhere CLOSE to any part of her feet, she'd have no choice but to spazz out.

She hated being touched, and hated being touched on her feet even more. She HATED feet.

The very thought made her shudder a little.

So OF COURSE on one scary part, where even Rei jumped, Miku's hand accidentally grazed her foot.

Luna reflexively shot her foot upwards, kicking Naruto right in the face.

Everyone, herself included, tried to hold in their laughter as Naruto groaned and held his nose, which was throbbing comically.

"Dammit, Luna!"

"Sorry, sorry! You _know _I don't like my feet being touched!"

"You don't like being touched _period_!"

"EXACTLY!"

"Well, it was MIKU who did it!"

"...Oh. Well...Damn, _that _makes it even funnier," she replied with a giggle. His temple throbbed, and he wordlessly grabbed one of her toes.

She tried to wriggle it out of his grip, but he just HAD to be a little stronger. "What're you doing?" She asked cautiously.

He flashed her a rather mischievious grin before pulling the toe-in-question, and she freaked out. "AHHHH! NO NO NO, NOT MY TOES!"

_**POP.**_

"HOLY CRAP! OW OW _OW _OW _OWWWWW_!"

Everyone sweatdropped, and Rei cleared her throat. "Um...Luna..He _just _popped your toe."

Naruto burst into laughter while Luna huffed. "She HATES that! It freaks her out."

He looked at Kei with a triumphant smirk. "You've got a lot to learn about Luna Sasaki. A LOT."

She kicked him in the gut, feeling very justified, and his temple throbbed. "...Ow."

Luna simply stuck her tongue out at him and leaned back into Kei, who then flashed NARUTO a triumphant smirk.

Needless to say, the two dudes got into an idiotic battle-of-wits that drove everyone else completely insane.


	18. All You Need Is Love

**Well, I'm back!**

**Took me long enough, huh?**

**And not to be a nudge, but it would just MAKE MY DAY if more than one or two people reviewed a chapter, since so many people read this. It would really help in understanding what people think of this fic and what I'm doing right or wrong. You can even ask me questions.**

**Just saying!**

**Enjoy.**

_

* * *

_

_Luna was the second to wake up, followed by Naruto waking up with a disappointed groan. "DAMMIT! I was hoping we'd actually PULL an all-nighter," he grumbled._

_She rolled her eyes, and he pointed at her. "Hey, for all we know Kei could be awake and messing with you RIGHT NOW."_

_**BONK.**_

"_OWWWWW! DAMMIT, LUNA!"_

"_FRICKING PERVERT!"_

"_BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP!" Miku suddenly shouted, making them both immediately close their mouths and blink innocently._

_She pointed to the Shrine Maiden, who was tapping her foot impatiently. Miku smiled at the Maiden. "You were saying?"_

_The Maiden nodded before clearing her throat and returning to her ominous look. "Save the two..." She repeated._

_Naruto sweatdropped. "You already told us that. Anything new?"_

_Past Self suddenly appeared and grinned. "**I **have a message. You best watch your ass, Naruto, because it's only a matter of time before Luna murders you for driving her so crazy."_

"_Go to hell," Luna seethed._

_Past Self just laughed and held up her hands. "Look around, dipshit. We're already there!"_

_And with that, she disappeared, her laughter ringing in their ears. Shrine Maiden's lower lip trembled a little. "...She scares me," she whispered before disappearing._

_Luna folded her arms over her middle uncomfortably. "Me too, kid. Me too."_

_Naruto shook his head. "You're an idiot, you know that?"_

_She glared at him. "Oh really? What makes you say that?"_

"_You honestly think I'm gonna let her fuck you up again? Jeez." He followed Miku, who was smiling and opening the door to the other room. "Trust me, would ya?"_

_Luna opened her mouth to say something, then just closed it with a shake of the head._

_As she followed them out, they heard muttering. **"I must capture the traveller...Before the priestess notices...All ties must be severed...There must be no attachments.."** He was saying._

_Or maybe it was a she...?_

_Who the hell knew. Luna snapped a picture of the giant tent of sheets and headed for the door leading out of the room._

_She grabbed the shiny (Type 14) that was in the room with the creepy doll she saw in the first dream, then stopped short._

"_Do you hear...?"_

"_The lullaby," Miku finished for her in an absent voice, making her jump. Naruto strained to hear, and shook his head. "I don't hear anything."_

_Luna gestured for them to follow, slowly heading into the next room. She knew exactly where it was coming from; she could feel the ominous spiritual pressure. _

_She stopped by a little rectangular door on the bottom of the wall, peering down at it. Miku was starting to get nervous; so nervous that Luna could feel her fear ebbing into her spiritual pressure, which Miku happened to have a lot of._

_That puzzled her, but her thoughts trailed off when she heard the familiar voice of Past Self and a Shrine Maiden saying in total unison "Over here..."_

_Miku jumped with a little gasp. "We...We have to go in there, don't we."_

_Luna shook her head, slipping off her t-shirt so it wouldn't catch on anything in the tunnel. At least she had an undershirt on underneath it, right?_

"_Not we. **Me**. I'm the smallest."_

* * *

"_NO WAY!" Naruto and Miku shouted angrily. "You really ARE stupid!" Naruto shouted._

_Miku shook her head. "Luna, it's too dangerous."_

_Luna was about to reply, but then Naruto started ranting. "How the hell have you survived this long? Do you have a death wish? Are you fricking SUICIDAL? You hear Mini-You, who wants you dead, talking under there with a Creepy Shrine Maiden, trying to get you to go in...AND YOU GO IN? No way in HELL are you listening to them! It's a good thing we're not in a horror movie or video game, or else you'd be the first to fucking die, you know that? Dammit, I swear, if you-"_

_She cut him off by throwing her t-shirt at his face, and he peeled it off, temple throbbing. "...Naruto, remember what I told you."_

"_You tell me lots of things, whether I want you to or not," he whined. _

_She rolled her eyes. "Remember when you first saw me use my gun? And I told you not to try and protect me, because usually it gets people killed?"_

"_Oh, that. Yeah, I remember."_

_Luna nudged the trap door with her foot before looking at them. Her gaze settled on Naruto as if to say "If you try and stop me, you're losing an arm"._

"_...Now's the time to listen to me. Got it?"_

_He opened his mouth to argue, but Miku put a hand on his arm and shook her head, and he reluctantly nodded with a heavy sigh. "Fiiinee...But one scream and I'm shunpoing right in there and kicking major ass. And then I'm saying 'I told you so!'. Do YOU got it?"_

_She gave him a mock-salute, and Miku helped her get the trap door completely moved. "Be careful, okay? You don't have all your strength back yet," she reminded her._

_Luna nodded, then smiled at her. "You wanna know something?"_

"_What?"_

"_I wish I had had someone like you to tell me what to do when I was in doubt these past few years. ...Just thought I should tell you."_

_She slid into the opening, and she heard Miku make a weird little noise. "Why does she do that? Say something nice, make you all emotional, and then just LEAVE?"_

_She heard Naruto patting what she assumed was Miku's shoulder or head. "Don't worry, you get used to it. I think she just has a flair for the dramatic, really."_

_Luna was about to call out "I heard that!", but a shuffling noise made her throat close up, and she slowly started crawling through the narrow tunnel._

_

* * *

__The tunnel was more of a huge gap between cement and dirt, with little poles keeping it from collapsing._

_It had a few sharp turns, and from where Luna was currently laying, she could see the exit already._

_The space was so narrow that even she, the smallest, had to lay flat on her stomach to keep from being pressed against the ceiling of the gap._

_She didn't like this; not one bit. The spritual pressure was throbbing menacingly, and moving very fast._

_There was a shiny right ahead, and she crawled up to it, picking it up. A new lens for the camera. Apparently it doubled her spirit power._

_She started crawling and heard a loud bang, making her breath hitch in her throat. She turned around and saw a woman's legs shuffling past, crawling away to the right of the tunnel._

_Luna didn't buy it; it was too convenient. But she sighed in relief anyways. So OF COURSE the woman crawled right up into her face._

_Luna snapped a few Fatal Frames, making the woman crawl out of sight, but then Past Self appeared right in front of her._

_She giggled mischieviously and snatched Luna's camera before she could even react. "Hey! Give that back!"_

"_Nice knowin' ya!" She sneered before disappearing._

_Luna still felt the spiritual pressure nearby, and started hauling ass for the exit. "Narutooo!" She called out, and even she had to admit she sounded scared as hell. She FELT like she might become the youngest person to undergo cardiac arrest._

"_NARUTO, I NEED YOUR CAMERA, LIKE, **NOW**!" Luna screeched as the crawling girl started charging right for her, making Luna back up against the wall._

_But then she realized she was right above the exit to the tunnel, and as she reached up to pull herself out, the Crawling Woman grabbed her._

"_SHIT SHIT SHIT!" Luna screamed as she kicked her off, crawling up towards the exit. She heard Crawling Woman scream as well, no idea why, and she pretty much flew out of the tunnel._

_Only to be grabbed at the arm, making her scream bloody murder and try to wrench herself out of their grip. _

"_Chill, chill, it's just me! ...Oh, and I told you so."_

_

* * *

_

_Luna stopped resisting and glared at him. "That was a really shitty move, you ass."_

"_Hey, I killed that Crawling Bitch for you!" He replied defensively. Then his grip on her arm softened a little as he tilted his head and looked at her strangely._

"_You really were scared, weren't you? Like...REALLY SCARED."_

"_N-No!"_

"_Then what're those?"_

"_What're what?"_

"_Those tear marks on your face."_

_She blinked, and did indeed feel moisture there. "I was crying? Odd..."_

"_What happened, what'd you need me for?" He asked as he reluctantly let go of her and looked around the doll altar room they had crawled into._

"_My bitch of a Past Self stole my damn Camera Obscura," she muttered, and Naruto laughed. "Ha! You got mugged by a kid, Luna? Some Agent you are," he replied as he casually fought off the Creepy Shrine Maiden that appeared as he tried to pick up a book on the altar._

"_Shut up! Technically, I got mugged by my Past Self, which is an indicator on just how skilled I am."_

"_Whatever Luna, whatever," he muttered as he started reading the diary. _

* * *

"_**Amane led a man into the shrine.**_

_**The head of the family is so angry. If the priestess wakes up, the commandment will**_

_**be broken, and the **_

_**Rift will spread.**_

_**The family head teaches all the handmaidens so hard that they**_

_**won't forget their duties.**_

_**The head of the family ordered that Amane be impaled, and that**_

_**her brother be cast out of the manor.**_

_**Because of the duties of the**_

_**handmaidens, and the duties of the Kuze Shrine, there was no other**_

_**choice. **_

_**Amane, I'm sorry.**"_

_Luna shook her head sadly as she picked up a blue Purity Stone. "This priestess was such a fool."_

"_Why do you say that?"_

"_She fell in love," she replied as she went down the opposite ladder, leading to a different tunnel. _

_

* * *

_

_Luna jumped with a yell as Naruto appeared in front of her, and he rolled his eyes. "Idiot. I'm the one with the camera, I should go first. And anyway, just because she fell in love doesn't make her a fool."_

"_What makes you say that?"_

"_Everyone falls in love eventually. It's one of the best feelings you could have, according to Sakura and people who've actually felt it."_

"_Maybe you're the fool here for believing in it so strongly, Uzumaki."_

_He scoffed. "And maybe YOU'RE the fool here for being a self-proclaimed expert on love, Sasaki."_

"_Have YOU been in love?"_

"_No, but neither have YOU!"_

"_Yes, that may be true, but think about it. This priestess they speak of wasn't supposed to be in love. She wasn't supposed to have any attachments to this earth. Yet she did anyway. So what conclusion do we draw from this?"_

"_...Love conquers all?"_

"_NOOO, love interferes with what's most important, in this case her duty, and potentially gets us all CURSED AND FRICKING KILLED!"_

"_So you're saying you would rather obey your orders and fulfill your duty instead of falling in love and being happy," he clarified slowly._

_She nodded quickly. "Yes. Because love always ends in tragedy."_

"_Always?"_

"_Always."_

"_I really, REALLY don't believe that," he replied as he climbed through the exit. "...Then you really are the fool," Luna shot back as she followed him._

_

* * *

_

_They were in a huge room with sacks in the shape of bodies hanging from the ceiling by nooses around their necks._

_In the middle of the creepy room was an altar, and Luna peered down at it before sighing. "Crap, no Purity Stone."_

"_Purity Stone?" Naruto repeated. _

"_Remember the room in which we awoke, with the cage hanging from the ceiling? There was an altar with four indentations on a little pedestal set up. On it was etched 'Obtain the 4 Purity Stones. By the Handmaiden's Song subdue the waking of the priestess in the Chamber of Needles'."_

"_Huh. Didn't notice."_

"_I noticed you didn't notice. That's because, like I previously established, YOU'RE the fool here," she said smugly._

_Naruto smirked. "Lu-naaa, you're talking all formal again. THAT means you have strong feelings towards the subject of love. Because you know I'm right. I'M RIGHT!"_

"_No, you're not! Love leads to trouble!"_

"_So does life."_

"_Love leads to misery."_

"_So does not having it."_

"_Love is...stupid!"_

"_You're stupid."_

"_So are you!"_

"_That's because neither of us have been in love, therefore without it we're stupid."_

_Dammit, when did he start making sense on some weird level? On ANY level, really. Luna opened the door to the hallway, and during some more of their argument, they didn't even look in the ghost's direction as she made Grudge Girl noises and tried to snatch them._

* * *

"_What makes you think love makes you ANY smarter than you are to begin with?"_

"_Because, well...Have you never heard The Beatles? All you need is loooove, all you need is loooove, all ya need is lo-"_

"_Please stop singing before I jump off a bridge."_

"_You're just saying that because you love The Beatles and know I'm right!"_

"_No you're not!"_

"_I wanna hold your ha-aa-aand, I wanna-"_

"_STOP SINGING BEATLES SONGS!"_

"_I can't help it that they were geniuses when it comes to love."_

"_Yeah, well, half of the band is dead now, aren't they? How exactly did love help them in THAT situation?"_

"_At least they died loved," he pointed out._

"_Yeah, I'm sure John Lennon's really feeling loved."_

"_Luna, you **seriously **just went there?"_

"_Too soon?"_

"_Yep, Lennon's death's worthy of respect."_

"_I respect him and his death, I just don't think he feels any more loved than he did BEFORE he was killed."_

"_Yeah, well...he doesn't count!"_

"_Oh, he doesn't? Well, what about Bill Clinton's love?"_

"_He wasn't in love, he just had an affair!"_

"_He was in love with his 'Manly Needs', obviously."_

"_He doesn't count, either!"_

"_Well, what about all the men and women who have killed their partners out of jealousy, one of the main emotions love can cause? And what about all the wars started from love of the peoples' gods? What about-"_

"_Okay, okay, enough with that! You're missing the point!"_

"_Which would be? DO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M MISSING IT!" She shouted, making Britney disappear from behind her sliding screen door in the corner of her room. _

_"Like hell I'm messing with THIS SHIT," Britney hissed as she faded, referring to the arguing teens._

_They hadn't even realized they had ended up in there, much less that Britney had been about to attack them in the first place._

_Naruto sighed. "I can't EXPLAIN it to you, I would have to SHOW you." _

_Her eyebrows shot up. "Show me?"_

"_Yeah. One of these days, I'm gonna show you," he informed her importantly before picking up a diary left by Britney on her mirror stand._

_He handed it to Luna to read. "I read the last one."_

_She cleared her throat before reading, seeing as her voice was a bit sore from arguing with the dumbass formally addressed as Naruto Uzumaki._

* * *

"**_His parting gift was a forbidden child. The child had handsome features, just like he did._**

**_If he stays in this place, they'll cast him away once he turns four. I have to find a way _**

**_to sneak him into the village below before then. If I give him the earring his father_**

_**gave me, I'm sure someday he will be able to come back.**"_

"_Village below?"_

_Luna nodded. "The Kuze Shrine, where we are now, was located in the mountains." "Where'd you hear that?" "Kei." _

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "...But of course. Ky the College-Going, Folklore-Obsessed Wonder. How foolish of me to think he DIDN'T know something about this hellhole!"_

_Luna rolled her eyes before continuing. _

"**_He'll be able to hear my voice. _**

**_I may even be able to see his father again if he finds this earring._**

**_I'll name the child 'Kaname' to symbolize our connection. I know this child will come back. _**

**_With his father._**_"_

* * *

_She shut it slowly, and Naruto looked at the diary thoughtfully. "But...How would that symbolize their connection?"_

_Luna bit her lip. "Remember the diary we found, about Amane? They said a man went into the shrine, her brother. What if Britney, also known as Kyouka, is **Amane's **mother as well? Put Amane behind the front initial of Britney's real name, and you have **Kaname**!"_

_Naruto's lower lip stuck out in a pout. "Did College Boy tell you all **that**, too?"_

_She smacked him upside the head half-heartedly, starting to feel the exertion of all their running around in her already-weak state. "No. Some things I happen to be able to figure out."_

"_How'd you know Britney's real name?"_

"_Would it kill you to pay actual attention to the ghosts when they speak?"_

"_Well, ex-CUSE me for not having Super Spy Memory!"_

"_Or maybe, like I said, YOU'RE the fool."_

"_Hey, love's what kept Britney going after her baby's daddy left!"_

_Luna jabbed a finger in the direction of the hair on the wall angrily. "And does THAT look like it led to something good?"_

"_Why are you so...so..."_

"_So what!"_

"_...Nevermind."_

"_No, say it. Why am I so..."_

"_Well...upset over this!"_

_She laughed a little before coughing and rubbing her arms. She was freezing with just an undershirt and short boxers on._

"_I'm not upset. I am merely aware of the consequences of love. Painful. Bitter. Cruel. Sometimes even deadly. And I am not willing to suffer consequences like those for something I can live without."_

_Naruto looked her over pointedly. "Yeah. Tired, bruised, a little bloody, scared, barely staying on your feet and swaying in place...You're doing a great job at living without it so far."_

_Before she could reply, and believe me, she was SO ready to reply, Miku's voice piped up from a nearby door._

"_PLEASE don't get into the love argument again!"_

_

* * *

_

_They both jumped. "MIKU? WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET HERE?"_

_She sweatdropped. "I've been following you two around for a good seven minutes now. Since you went through that hallway with the Needle Woman Ghost. I tried getting your attention a couple times, but you kept right on arguing and singing Beatles songs, so I just said 'Fuck it' and let you two continue."_

_They both flushed. "...You heard that?"_

"_Every word. You know, Naruto, you're not really that bad of a singer. I think Luna was just too stubborn to admit it," Miku whispered as Luna walked a little ways ahead of them._

_Naruto grinned, and Miku smiled back before blushing and fiddling with Luna's t-shirt she was currently carrying._


	19. Screw The Agency, Why'd You Stop?

**Yay, another one! Uh-oh. Tiny little fluff bunnies lie ahead. Proceed with caution.**

**Hahaha enjoy, and remember: REVIEW.**

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****HOURS LATER...**_

_They had figured out that the Purity Stones were all located in Doll Altars, and had now found all of them but one._

_And Luna was starting to suffer._

_Well, actually, she had started to suffer three hours ago, but now it was getting kind of bad._

_She was a good five feet behind Naruto and Miku, who were currently talking about who-knows-what and had Miku giggling like crazy._

_Miku may be 17, but she might as well have been 13 with how bubbly she was lately. And Luna wasn't sure if it was JUST Naruto who was making her that way._

_Maybe being around fellow teenagers was making Miku's old self return. Luna had pretty much figured out what had happened to Miku to make her so solemn._

_Her brother, Mafuyu, had gone after Takamine, the folklorist, right? That's what Kei had told them. And Miku remembered the Himuro Mansion's darkest secrets, proven to them when Naruto said she recognized the ghost that had been part of the Strangling Ritual._

_Luna's guess was that either the ghost had killed her brother, or they had been separated when the Mansion collapsed._

_She knew it had recently collapsed because she had taken a huge interest in the Mansion after entering it in the dreams, and had Googled it._

_Thanks, Google._

_Needless to say, Miku wasn't in the brightest of moods afterward. It was pretty nice to know you helped someone get back to their normal self._

_Of course, right now Luna couldn't care less, because she felt like she was about to pass out. And everyone knew she HATED feeling weak._

_So needless to say, when Miku glanced back at her and told Naruto something, she immediately figured out what she said as Naruto slowed down._

"_...I'm fine," she informed them._

"_That's great, but I'M tired, so I'M slowing down," he shot back matter-of-factly, making her temple throb._

"_...Oh. I see."_

_Soon, they were behind even her, and so they both saw her stumble quite clearly. She cleared her throat. "...I didn't notice that, uh, rock."_

"_That's because there WAS no rock."_

"_Shut up, Naruto!" She said before staggering a little again. She could hear the smug grin in his voice. "...Uh-huh. There must be a lot of rocks around here."_

"_Yes, there is."_

_

* * *

_

_Miku whispered something to him, to which he laughed. "Hell no! She'll bite your head off for even ASKING if you could!"_

"_Asking if she could what?"_

_Miku gulped before catching up with Luna. Which wasn't hard, considering she was walking even slower now to keep from staggering again._

"_Luna, do you...Would you like me to support you a little while you walk? You seem pretty tired."_

_She resisted the urge to glare at Miku, and just shook her head sternly. "No thanks. I'm fine."_

_Naruto sighed rather heavily. "Told you." He poked the side of Luna's arm before gesturing to his back. "Hop on."_

_She really DID glare this time. "NO. I am FINE."_

"_No you're not, you're exhausted! You look like you're about to pass out right now!" She stuck her chin out defiantly._

"_No. I am very capable of handling myself."_

_He rolled his eyes and moved right in front of her, crouching and waiting for her to hop on. "Will you stop being such a stubborn ass and get on my back? You're walking slower than a zombie, you're gonna attract more ghosts."_

_She bit her lip before sighing and giving in. Miku nodded with satisfaction and lead the way to the room with the pot hanging from the ceiling. They were backtracking like nobody's business at the moment._

_Luna sighed heavily again, glaring at the back of Miku's head. "I could've handled myself, for the record."_

"_Whatever, Luna. Whatever. Just enjoy the free ride, take a nap, wake up on the right side of the bed this time."_

"_But...You're not a bed.."_

"_FIGURE OF SPEECH, Luna."_

"_Oh, right, right. Sorry," she muttered with a yawn. _

"_See? You're tired."_

"_Perhaps...Perhaps I am a **little **tired..."_

"_A little?"_

"_TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT."_

"_Fine, a little, a little's good!" He said quickly with a laugh as they headed through the Pot Room and to the large rooms that lead to the Stairs Hallway._

_

* * *

_

_They went into the Creepy Midget Tunnel With Human-Shaped Stains, and heard the sounds of a lullaby from a door they never really noticed._

_Luna poked her head up from Naruto's shoulder as spirit pressure rose, and sure enough, a Creepy Shrine Maiden appeared._

_Miku gulped and set Luna's t-shirt down on the ground carefully. "This is where the tunnel gets small enough for only one person. I'll do this one, seeing as Luna's so tired."_

"_Be careful," Naruto warned. Luna yawned before nodding. "Yeah," she croaked. "Careful. If you hear shuffling, hold on tight to your camera."_

_Miku nodded before leaving. Once she was out of view, Naruto sighed and Luna yawned. "Hey, Luna?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_Can I ask you something kinda weird?"_

"_Mm-hmm."_

"_Since we've been having this dreams, during some of 'em, have you ever...Y'know, had random flashbacks of things?"_

_She tried to comprehend what he was asking in her groggy state. "...What? You mean, are you asking about my own, or do you just want assurance that someone else is having them?" She asked slowly with another yawn._

"_...I think both."_

"_I won't tell you...Unless you tell ME...What **your **flashbacks are."_

"_WHY?" He whined._

"_Because I've had to tell you **lots **of personal things. Either tell me about the flashbacks, or...tell me why you have no tattoo."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto sighed. "I keep having these images flash through my head at the sight of random stuff. Like when that diary you found mentioned you saying something about a 'monster taking daddy away', my own personal monster showed up in my head."_

"_How did you read that diary?"_

"_That's besides the point," he said with a nervous laugh. Obviously he didn't want to tell her, but then again she was lucky he was telling her about the visions, so she considered herself lucky and shut up._

"_And sometimes...I have visions of this couple, and I think they might be my parents...I just don't know. After I see them, when I think about it, I always refer to them as 'mom' or 'dad', so...I guess they are...But it's just so confusing!"_

"_Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_People are drawn to the Manor of Sleep...Because they survive something that they feel guilty about. ...What's making you so guilty?" She asked carefully._

_There was a long pause, and finally he just tightened his grip around the back of her knees for a second before sighing. "...Not today, Luna."_

"_Hmm?"_

"_Maybe I'll expain it some other time. But as for the Tattoo not showing up on me...Let's just say I have a type of...uh..CHEMICAL! Yes, CHEMICAL...in my body...that burns up stuff that might seriously injure me, chakra-wise. I guess the Tattoo fell under that category."_

_Luna yawned yet again, her arms starting to feel heavy. She moved them from his shoulders to lightly around his neck, and she heard the breath hitch in his throat in surprise._

"_...That's one nice chemical. I wish I had that.."_

"_Oh, no, he's not nice. He just doesn't want whatever the bad thing is to harm me because he happens to be in MY body."_

"_...How do you know your chemical isn't a...a she?" She asked between yawns._

"_Not today, Luna," he repeated in a sing-song voice. She let her head plop onto his shoulder extra hard; her groggy way of smacking him upside the head. "Brat."_

_

* * *

_

_They saw camera flashes going off from way down in the tunnel, and she watched them. Her eyes were threatening to close completely at any moment._

_After a few moments, Naruto must've gotten bored. He was supporting her weight by gripping the backs of her knees, and out of nowhere, his thumbs started tentatively rubbing the sides of her thighs._

_That got Luna a lot less groggy REAL quick. But not by much, judging from how slurred her words were. _

"_What...What're you doing there...There with your, uh..thumbs! Yes, that's it...Your thumbs."_

_The side of Naruto's face, from what she could see, paled as he ceased all thumb movements. "Oh. I thought you were asleep."_

_"I'm _g_etting there...But that's not answering my, uh, my...my question."_

"_Several reasons. One, you're fricking freezing. Literally. You're skin's like ice, and you dying of hypothermia or whatever would kind of damper my day. Two, my fingers are numb from aforementioned cold skin."_

"_What's number three?" She asked carefully._

_He paused. "Iruka-sensei always massages Shizune's shouders when she's tired. I dunno why, but this seems to work just fine. I can't really bend enough to reach your shoulders, now, can I?" He said defensively._

_She had a feeling the main reason he was saying and doing all this was because he was tired, too._

_Sure enough, she was already starting to feel warmer. Almost...prickly. Luna couldn't help but worry a little. She was starting to adjust to this. Get comfortable with Naruto's antics. Get comfortable with Naruto himself._

_And as an Agent, she couldn't do that. Get comfortable. Getting comfortable led to hard goodbyes. Getting comfortable was something they seriously frowned upon. _

_But then she realized she didn't give a shit what the Agency thought. __"Screw the Agency."_

"_...What?"_

"_You heard me."_

"_Yeah, but that makes no sense!"_

"_You make no sense."_

"_Neither do you!"_

"_That thing you were doing?" She asked suddenly, making him pale all over again._

"_...Look, I really didn't mean to make you freak, I was just trying to-"_

"_Help."_

"_...Yeah."_

_Luna rested her head back down on his shoulder, near the crook of his neck. "Then why'd you stop?"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**A ****WHILE LATER...**_

"_So what did you two do while I was gone?" Miku asked as they headed for the Tattoo Room with the cage hanging from the ceiling._

_He shrugged, turning a little red at the thought. "Ehhh, nothing much...What's the diary say?" He asked, nodding towards the little book in her hand._

_She shrugged and opened it. "I haven't read it yet, I was waiting till you two could hear it as well."_

"_I don't think Luna counts right now. She can probably hear us, anyway."_

_Miku shrugged again and started to read. _

* * *

"**_My mother told me that I have an older brother._**

**_His name is Kaname, and he lives in _**

**_a house on the outside._**

**_In the Kuze house, they throw away boys, so he was sent outside. She told me many times that this was a secret._**

**_My brother has the same earring as my mother._**

**_They're beautiful earrings that she got from father. Mother gave it to him so that no matter where he is he can hear her voice. I wonder if he can hear my voice too._**

**_I want to see him._**

**_Reika was made into a priestess._**

**_I help take care of the priestess._**

**_She tells me about the outside. She says when she talks the pain isn't as bad. I'm glad that I can be of some help._**

**_The priestess has an earring just like mother's. She says it was a present from a good friend, so that she can hear his voice no matter where she is._**

**_I think that friend is Kaname. The priestess talks about him a lot._**

**_The priestess seems kind of lonely._**_"_

_

* * *

_

_He sighed. "Dammit, that means Luna was right, AGAIN!"_

_Miku sweatdropped and shook her head with a smile as Luna coughed in her sleep, making him jump in surprise before gently shifting her head so it was easier for her to breathe. "Well, now that she's asleep..."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Does she have all the proof she needs now?"_

"_Proof?"_

"_Y'know, proof. ...For the whole love argument?"_

_He gave her a weird look. "Whaddaya mean?"_

_Miku gave HIM a weird look. "Well, y'know...You siad you were gonna show her, and..."_

"_Yeah, I know, don't remind me! I still haven't figured out how I'm gonna do that..." He muttered._

_Miku flushed, looking from his thumbs still running along her thighs to Luna, who hadn't looked that dead asleep and peaceful in days._

"_...Yeah. How, indeed."_


	20. The Frustrations Of Being Miku

**Well, I'm back. Yet again. Time for some comic relief! Yay! XD**

**Enjoy.**

_

* * *

_

_Luna awoke to the distinct sound of Naruto groaning. "GAH! THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT, I **SWEAR **THAT'S RIGHT! DAMMIT, OPEN UP!"_

_She smacked him as hard as possible upside the head, making him jump and nearly drop her. "...Oh. You're awake!" He said brightly._

_Miku sweatdropped as Luna's temple throbbed and she slid off his back. "What the hell are you whining about NOW?" She muttered groggily._

_Naruto pointed an accusing finger at the Purity Stones, all four of them arranged on the little pedestal on the altar._

"_They won't work! Lu-naaaa, fix it!"_

_Miku and Luna both sweatdropped this time. She sighed and shook her head. "Dumbass. If I do this on the first damn try, I demand a reward for waking me up with your damn childish screeching."_

_She peered down at the Stones, tilting her head to the side. She picked up one and set it back down, making a song play.** "If the Priestess wakes from her dream..."**_

_Luna shook her head. "That's so not right, that's not even **close **to the beginning verse, Naruto!"_

_Miku nodded. "I tried to tell him that, but he wouldn't listen!"_

"_Sounds like him, the dumbass."_

_His temple throbbed. "Hello, standing right here!"_

"_I know that, Captain Obvious," she snapped before picking up and setting down each stone to see which played what part. Luna sang it to herself as she arranged the Stones just so, and soon Miku was singing as well._

"_Sleep, Priestess, lie in peace...If the Priestess wakes from her dream...Perform the right of stakes, her limbs pinned tight...Lest the doors open wide, and suffering unleashed on all," they sang, Miku's voice quivering at the end as if it had triggered a bad memory._

_Naruto was over in the corner, looking at something on the wall. "Holy CRAP! This is...SKIN," he announced, pointing at what Luna had thought was a scrap of worn paper._

_She looked at it as well. "I guess...I guess this is what they do after a failed ritual? The tattooed skin is peeled off the Priestess? How cruel..."_

_Miku was about to place the last Stone on the right slot, but Luna shook her head. "Don't. I left it like that on purpose. There might be something in this room we need before we trigger whatever door that unlocks."_

_Sure enough, Miku looked around before noticing a shiny in the corner. She picked it up, then waved it back and forth for the other two to see. "Another diary."_

* * *

"_**Kaname snuck in with the people who came to ease their pains. He said he wants to**_

_**see the Priestess, just once.**_

_**It is against the code, but as she is going to have to perform the Rite of Commandments soon,**_

_**She won't be able to leave again.**_

_**I want to help them meet, just once.**_

_**Kaname went into the shring. To the Priestess' place.**_

_**Men cannot go into the shrine.**_

_**I'm sure the mistress will be upset.**"_

* * *

"_Wait, so...Kaname's in love with the Priestess, so he sneaks into her shrine place or whatever to see her one last time...And the mistress gets pissed and all hell breaks loose?" Naruto guessed._

_Luna shook her head slowly, forming her own theories as well. "Told you she was a fool." He pointed a finger at her. "Don't you start THAT again."_

"_But it's true!"_

"_No it isn't!"_

"_Uh, yeah, it IS!"_

"_Prove it!"_

"_YOU prove it!"_

"_YOU try and prove me wrong, I dare you!" _

"_I don't need to, LIFE proves you wrong!"_

"_Says who?"_

"_SAYS ME!"_

"_Oh, so NATURALLY it's true!"_

"_In a word, yes!"_

"_That's FOUR WORDS. Jeez, what the hell kind of Agent doesn't know how to count?"_

"_GUYS! A LITTLE ASSISTANCE!" Miku screeched as the Woman With Many Hands appeared, lunging for her._

**"**_**Amane has broken the Code...She must be punished!" **The Woman was hissing. _

_Naruto and Luna just kept right on arguing. _

_

* * *

_

_"I know how to COUNT, Naruto. I'm not an idiot!"_

"_That's debatable. Remember earlier, when you went in a TUNNEL UNDER THE GROUND AFTER CREEPY MINI-YOU AND SOME CRAWLING BITCH?"_

"_That was because that was the only option, I am the **smallest**!"_

"_Luna! Naruto! Help please!" Miku screeched._

_Again, they ignored her. The Woman With Many Hands stopped advancing towards Miku for a while to listen to this idiotic fight._

"_So WHAT if you're the smallest? APPARENTLY, you're also the STUPIDEST! Who ended up saving your ass again? WHO?"_

"_You. You saved my ass," she grumbled grudgingly, making him nod importantly. _

"_Exactly. Oh, and guess what? LOVE SO **ISN'T **FOOLISH!"_

"_IS TOO!"_

"_IS NOT!"_

"_IS TOO!"_

"_IS NOT!"_

"_IS TOO IS TOO IS TOO!"_

"_IS NOT IS NOT IS NOT IS NOT!"_

"_IS TOO IS TOO IS TOO IS TOO IS TOO IS TOO IS TOOOOOOO!"_

"_IS NOT, DAMMIT, IT'S NOT!"_

"_LOVE KILLS!"_

"_**YOU **KILL!"_

"_Why yes, yes I do," she agreed before shaking her head. "But that has nothing to do with love!"_

"_You have a love of killing."_

_Luna glared at him. "No I don't. However, I'm sure if I was given the option, I would fully enjoy killing YOU right now!"_

* * *

"_Huh. Mini-Luna was right!"_

"_Oh shut up! It doesn't exactly take rocket science to figure out killing you would make me a very fucking happy girl!"_

_Naruto pouted. "THIS is what I get for NOT ONLY saving your ass, but carrying you around for a good three hours!"_

_Luna rolled her eyes, sidestepping The Woman With Many Arms as she tried to grab her. "Oh, please. You and I both know you only did that because you wanted to stroke my thighs."_

"_Y-You can't prove that!"_

"_I'm sure I can sooner or later."_

"_You make me look like such a damn pervert!" He exclaimed defensively, sidestepping the Woman as well._

_Miku ran past them and took a few shots before glaring at them. "HELP ME OUT, YOU JERKFACES!"_

_They kept right on going. "Naruto, you ARE a pervert."_

* * *

"_No I'm not!"_

"_Oh yeah?"_

"_Yeah!"_

"_What about the bathroom?"_

"_What ABOUT the bathroom?"_

"_The LOCK you broke off the door! And when I asked you about it, you told me that we were robbed and all they took was the bathroom door's lock!"_

"_It happened JUST like that, I swear!"_

"_Then how come I saw what remained of the lock UNDER YOUR BED, and the next day I saw you IN THE BATHROOM WHILE I WAS TAKING A SHOWER, NARUTO UZUMAKI?"_

"_YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT WAS THE SAME LOCK **OR **THAT I WAS THERE!"_

"_IT ALL MAKES SENSE, YOU IDIOT! YOU HONESTLY THINK I WOULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT? WHAT KIND OF DUMMY DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?"_

"_A hot one, obviously, or I wouldn't have broken the lock," he replied matter-of-factly. _

_Luna held up her hand in a "Are you fricking KIDDING ME?" kind of way. "..So...You admit you broke the lock off the bathroom."_

"_No."_

"_But you JUST SAID-"_

"_I didn't say anything, you just imagined I did. You were blinded by your own need to win an argument!" He announced dramatically, making Luna's temple throb._

"_Why you little-"_

**"**_**AMANE HAS BROKEN THE CODE...SHE MUST BE PUNISHED!" **The Woman bellowed, trying to intimidate them into shutting up._

_They both whirled their heads around to look at her, pointing accusingly and shouting "**YOU **STAY OUT OF THIS!"_

_She drew back before yelling in fury, charging for Luna. She simply took two Fatal Frames, and that was the end of that. _

"_Ha! There, you got your killing fix for the day," Naruto said proudly._

"_YOU TWO ARE DEAD, YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD, YOU HEAR ME?" Miku shouted. Before anyone could respond, they woke up._


	21. The Frustrations Of Big Words

****

Whew! Nearly killed myself writing all this, what with killer sinus infection and even MORE killer headache along with it.

**So i better get some goddamn reviews for this. YOU HEARD ME!**

**...No..Pressure or anything.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Apparently the other two had woken up in the middle of the night, because Luna and Naruto woke up to see Miku standing by the counter and Rei coming down the stairs, both dressed for the day.

Kei was nowhere to be seen.

"Rei...Here..." Miku said in a faroff voice, as if she were really tired. Probably was. No one had gotten decent sleep around here in days.

Except for Luna, she had a nice nap in the Manor of Sleep. Go figure, right?

She winced as the tattoo appeared, and her eyes widened at how dark it was now. She could see some of it, as it had crept down almost to her elbow and down most of her back.

"I was interested myself, so I did some research on that lullaby. You guys were interested too, weren't you?" She asked everyone.

"Not really," Naruto said at the same time Luna said "Extremely" and Rei said "Of course."

Everyone looked at him, and he sweatdropped. "I mean...Of course, _extremely _interested in the creepy lullaby!"

Luna rolled her eyes as Rei took the notes and passed them around.

"TWELVE GODDAMN PAGES?"

"JUST READ, NARUTO!"

"ALL-RIIIIGHT, NO NEED TO YELL, LU-NAAAA!"

**

* * *

**

**In the mountains of the Mutsu region, **

**there is an old lullaby that was**

**only passed on to certain villages.**

**

* * *

**

"_**The Sleeping Priestess: Verse One"**_

_**Sleep, child, Go to sleep.**_

_**Sleep, child, Go to sleep.**_

_**If you cry, the boat you'll ride**_

_**The boat to the other side**_

_**Once you get there**_

_**The bib you shall wear**_

_**And you will be punished**_

_**Should you fail to lie still**_

**

* * *

**

**Within the same mountain chain, the **

**song "The Sleeping Priestess" was**

**only transmitted to a certain number **

**of villages.**

**

* * *

**

**The dissemination is thought to be dependent **

**on elements such as the village's roads**

**and location.**

**

* * *

**

**As the usage of the word "Priestess"**

**implies, this song is thought to have**

**its origins in idigenous folk rites,**

**given its method of transmission.**

**

* * *

**

**As for the lyrics themselves, the **

**opening line "Sleep, child, Go to**

**sleep" calls the child into sleep.**

**

* * *

**

**The next part, "If you cry,**

**the boat you'll ride,**

**The boat to the other side" uses**

**words like "boat" and "the other side",**

**which is suggestive of banishment.**

**It can be taken as a stanza of a**

"**threatening song" which is to**

**frighten the child into sleep.**

* * *

"**The bib you shall wear" can be**

**understood to depict,**

"**you will be dressed up to go".**

**

* * *

**

**After "Should you fail to lie still"**

**the inclusion of the frightening **

**words "you will be punished"**

**impresses admonition upon the child.**

**

* * *

**

**Perhaps as the once ceremonial song**

**changed into a lullaby, it**

**metamorphosed into the "threatening**

**song" so common in the Mutsu area.**

* * *

"_**The Sleeping Priestess: Verse Two"**_

_**Sleep, child, Go to sleep**_

_**Sleep, child, Go to sleep**_

_**If you should wake**_

_**From your slumber at night**_

_**Great wooden stakes**_

_**Shall pin you down tight**_

_**Lest the doors open wide**_

_**And the others that sleep wake too**_

**

* * *

**

**The second verse develops in a very **

**similar way, and makes use of **

**the same elements.**

* * *

"**If you should wake" threatens that**

"**if the Priestess should wake during**

**a ceremony (in the lullaby, this means**

**sleep)" the woken Priestess, **

**or child, will have her limbs **

**pinned by stakes. These**

"**great wooden stakes" may be a **

**remnant of a religious phrase.**

**

* * *

**

**At the last part, "Lest the doors**

**open wide/And the others that sleep**

**wake too," there is a shift from a**

**familiar story centering on the**

**Priestess (child) to an uneasy end,**

**both vague and large in scale.**

**

* * *

**

**It is thought that this expresses**

**religious fear, such as the dread of the underworld.**

* * *

Naruto was the first to speak. "...Miku, you sure use big words!" Luna rolled her eyes, and Rei tilted her head to the side. "Did you even understand _half _of it?"

"...Maaaybe..."

"Do you want me to explain it to you?" Luna asked with a yawn, and he stuck out his chin defiantly. "No way, you'd just make it all difficult! Rei-Rei, could you-"

"I've gotta use the bathroom," she said quickly, trying to avoid having to explain the whole twelve pages worth of information to him.

He looked to Miku, who shrugged apologetically. "I'm fixing breakfast, as always."

"Oh, pleeeeease? Your voice is much less annoying, and you use simpler terms! Plus, I have more to look at when YOU'RE talking," he pleaded.

Miku giggled, and Luna's temple throbbed. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

Miku headed into the kitchen and turned on the water, making Naruto's shoulders slump with a sigh.

He looked at Luna before flashing an innocent grin, complete with puppy-dog eyes. "Could YOU please explain it to me?"

She glared at him. "But I'd hate for your view to be _limited _thanks to me."

"Aw, c'mon, don't be jealous!"

"I'm not JEALOUS, I am simply...I'm just..."

"Jealous."

"SURPRISED...Surprised that you were that blunt towards Miku, is all," she snapped, glaring at him before flat-out laughing.

"Ha! Jealous? Jealous! That's a good one, Naruto...Ahhhh, thanks, I needed that." He just glared at her.

"Will you just hurry up and explain this creepy lullaby to me?"

* * *

She laughed again before hopping onto the couch cushion beside him, crouching on it so she could peer over his shoulder and summarize the notes page by page.

"Okay. So page one basically says there's a region of mountains near here, in Japan, that has a lullaby used to get children to sleep that sounds like the creepy one we hear in the Manor each night. Those are the lyrics to the first verse," she informed him, pointing to the lyrics.

Naruto smacked her hand away, like she did when she had a fit about her personal space. "Okay, yeah, I got THAT. I just don't get..."

"Everything else?"

"Yeah, that."

She rolled her eyes again before leaning a little further to turn the page and read it to herself before nodding. "Alright, so basically they're saying the song suggests punishment if you wake up from your sleep in the first verse. It mentions that you'd have to take a boat, a boat to 'the other side'."

"...And?"

"Well, that usually means banishment or exile, something like that."

"Keep going."

"Okay...Well, _then _it mentions a bib you'll have to wear."

"Why would I wear a bib?"

Luna laughed and shook her head. "Not YOU, the KID. Since it's a children's lullaby, it's directed towards children. Though you _act _like one, you're not a kid, remember?"

"Ha ha. Very funny. No seriously, stop, before I die from lack of oxygen," he muttered, temple throbbing.

That made her laugh again, and he gave her a weird look. "What's got you all...laugh-y today?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. Kind of weird, I'm usually not this happy."

"Chyeah, no kidding."

"Hey, do you want me to expain all this or not!"

"Your eyes look beautiful today."

She rolled her aforementioned eyes. "That's what I thought, kiss-ass. Okay. So basically all this stuff is, is a lullaby based off a song the Maidens seem to have sung while impaling the Priestess."

"Ohhhhh!"

"Yeah, see? Only thing is...I get the stakes, limbs pinned tight, all that...But the boat, and the Other Side part...I still don't know what they mean by that," she said thoughtfully, more to herself.

She rested her chin on her hand, thinking, while Naruto read the notes again to try and figure it out before she did.

While they were both trying to think faster than the other, some stray hair fell from behind Luna's ear, tickling his face.

He promptly had a mini-spazz-attack. "Holy crap, your hair scared the HELL outta me!"

Luna gave him a weird look; he was currently poised to strike, in a ninja stance, on top of the couch, Miku's notes held high above his head precariously.

She promptly started laughing so hard she nearly rolled onto the floor.

* * *

Sometime during her laughing fit and Naruto reading over the notes, trying to ignore her, Kei came downstairs.

Naruto sweatdropped as Kei peered over his shoulder to see what he was reading. He slammed the book shut, making Luna slowly stop laughing.

"...YES, Ky? Can I help you?" He snapped.

Kei held up his hands in a surrendering kind of way. "I was just wondering what you were reading."

"Oh, some of Miku's notes on the creepy lullaby," Luna said brightly at the same time Naruto muttered "None of your business."

Luna and Kei sweatdropped, making Naruto sigh heavily and hold the book up dramatically. "HERE."

She watched on in amusement as the two guys glared at each other before Kei carefully took the book and skimmed it over.

In literally under thirty-seven seconds, he closed it with a nod. "Oh. I've already concluded all this."

Naruto's temple throbbed as Luna's eyes widened; she was obviously impressed. Dammit.

* * *

"Really? How?"

"Remember, he was studying the Manor of Sleep 'disease' for, like, months? He mentioned it in his letter," Naruto informed her matter-of-factly.

Luna glared at him, and Kei nodded with a smile. "He's right, I did. While I was at _college_," he replied, putting emphasis on the infamous C-Word.

Luna looked impressed all over again. "Huh. Maybe YOU should've explained it to Naruto instead."

Naruto gave her a look that could kill as Kei chimed "I could still explain it to you, Naruto, if you like."

"NO WAY!"

She grabbed hold of his ear before hissing "Be NICE and let him EXPLAIN it, please!".

"No way, have you gone INSANE? Why the hell would I want HIM to explain it?"

"LET. HIM. EXPLAIN."

"No."

Naruto seriously had the thought "KILL" flash through his mind as she gave him her innocent look. It was almost more effective than his puppy-dog look. Damn Luna. She apparently knew the trick to getting your way was to blink those big brown eyes with those damn long lashes of hers.

"Pleeeease?"

He sighed heavily. "...Blind me with your infinite wisdom, College Boy." She beamed and headed for the door to the other half of the house. "I think it's safe to leave you two alone now while I take a shower."

"Now remember, Luna, no showering with any more ghosts, alright?"

"SHUT UP, NARUTO!"

Kei laughed as she left, and Naruto sighed again. "What's so funny?"

He just shook his head and opened the stupid notebook. "Nothing, nothing. You wouldn't understand it yet."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****HOURS LATER...**_

"How come you didn't tell us about these tapes _earlier_?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

Kei rolled his eyes. "Well, Naruto, your hostility towards me last night kept me a _little _busy."

Naruto huffed and nudged Miku. "You hear that? He thinks _I _was _hostile_!"

"You WERE," everyone else said in unison, making Kei smirk to himself a little smugly. Naruto just huffed again, fiddling with the homemade candles Miku had made Rei, which were now sitting on Rei's table in her room.

They were all sitting in there, ready to listen to two new tapes Kei had brought with him. Luna was sitting on Rei's bed, so she could now inflict the full force of her glare on Naruto whenever he made an idiot of himself.

_Which would be right about..._

"The only reason I was hostile was because he's been puttin' the moves on Luna, which means when we go home all I'm gonna hear about is Ky, Ky, KY!"

_...NOW._

"NARUTO!"

"WHAT? IT'S _TRUE_!"

"IT IS _NOT_!"

"Oh yeah? And what makes you think that?"

"Because first of all, why the HELL would I confide in YOU about _Kei_? You hear that? KEI KEI KEI KEI KEI KEI KEI KEI! NOT FRICKING _KY_!"

"I CAN CALL HIM WHAT I _WANNA _CALL HIM!"

"GAH! YOU'RE SUCH A _CHILD_!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE HAVING A _SHOUTING MATCH _WITH THE ALLEGED CHILD!" He shot back smugly.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

"OH YEAH?"

"YEAH!"

"WELL..._NEH_!"

"NEH TO _YOU_!"

"_DOUBLE _NEH!"

"_TRIPLE _NEH!"

"QUADRA-_FUCKING_-DUPLE NEH!"

"YEAH, WELL-"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL _UP_!" Rei shouted, making everyone jump. Miku and Kei had been watching them go back and forth with sweatdrops and amused smiles, but Rei was ready to listen to the tapes, take a pill for her now MASSIVE headache, and go to sleep.

At least the _Manor _would be quieter.

Oh, wait, no it wouldn't: they'd be fighting THERE, too. Dammit.

The two teens blinked innocently at her, and she just sighed and shook her head. "Kei, please play the first tape. PLEASE."

He chuckled nervously before announcing "This tape documents a man who had the same dreams as Ms. Serizawa."

_**Click.**_

* * *

"**Yes...I don't want to sleep...ever again..."**

"I don't blame you, bro," Naruto commented, making Luna smile and everyone else wave frantically at him to shush.

**"There were a lot of people in the courtyard...The people...They were tying this person up...with ropes! And they-they wrapped them in white cloth.."**

"**They were burying...them...But it looked like the person being tied up...seemed to be doing it voluntarily."**

Luna noticed the suggestive grin on Naruto's face, and slid off the bed to stand behind him in case he did something stupid, AGAIN.

"**Afterwards, they put a big rock on them..."**

"Is THAT what you call 'em?" Naruto muttered with a perverted chuckle. She nudged him with her foot, then flat out kicked him after he turned to grin at her and say "Oh, so _you_ got it too?"

"**A big log-" **More laughter, another kick.** "...Like a skewer..."**

By this time, Luna's kicking wasn't doing any good, and he was doubled over, laughing as softly as he could.

"**There's a song...coming from inside the manor...Children are singing...and laughing...At first...I saw my wife."**

"**I just wanted to see her...One more time. I went inside...ugh..I'm so TIRED now...So...So tired...The snow.."**

* * *

After the tape ended, everyone looked at Naruto, and he just started laughing all over again. "Hahaha! Aw, c'mon you guys! Lu-naaa, stop kicking me, you KNOW you were thinking it too! And you heard the man, he was soooo...TIRED...hahaha!"

Rei rolled her eyes, and Miku grinned like an idiot as Kei shook his head and put the next tape in.

"_Yes_ I got it, but have a little self-control, you _dumbass_!" Luna hissed as the tape started with lots of scratching, like an old gramophone.

_Wait...Is that...panting? Ohhhhh crud, Naruto's gonna have a field day with this, I can tell already._

* * *

"**I-I can hear it! I can't make out what they're saying, but-but I can hear something! It's the same dream...Wa-Wa-Wait, no no no no, iiit-it's not the same, it...It's different somehow. I'm try-I'm going further in. They're calling me! I can hear their voices!"**

"But I thought he said he couldn't _tell_ what they were saying," Luna whispered. Naruto nodded in agreement while Rei put a finger to her lips.

"**N-No, I can't _tell _what they're saying."**

"_Thank_ you, EX-actly!" The two said, throwing up a hand triumphantly at the same time.

"Shh!" Everyone hissed, making Naruto laugh nervously and Luna smile innocently.

"**They're just CALLING..me...It's snowing. There's a big, quiet manor."**

"But he JUST SAID there were-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Everyone shouted.

The two promptly covered each other's mouths in fear of the anger clearly etched on the other three's faces.

Luna didn't even yell at him about personal space as he stood within a foot of her.

"**It seems like a funeral! Everyone's face is hidden...I'm going in...Deeper and deeper-"**

Naruto started laughing again, and laughed even harder as the man gagged and went **"It's almost SUFFOCATING!"**

Even Luna almost started laughing, but if she did HE would win, so she bit her lip as hard as possible without breaking the skin.

"**I can't breathe...!"** He started making gasping, scratchy, almost gutteral noises. **"I didn't do anything..**_**She**_** did it! No, no, no...It can't be! Help, it's **_**not**_** me! It's not my-" **He cut off with more coughing, gasping for air, and then it cut off.

* * *

Naruto was still laughing as Luna removed her hand, and she smacked him upside the head. "Jeez, Naruto, have some composure!"

"Aw, c'mon Luna, how could you NOT laugh at that! I know you, you SO wanted to laugh, I just know it!"

She shook her head sternly, and he just smirked. "I _saw_ you nearly laughing, LIIIAAARRR!"

_**BAM!**_

"Ow! No need to go postal just because you got caught in a lie! NOW who's immature!"

Rei rolled her eyes and gave them both a little halfhearted shove into the hallway. "Bed."

"Yes, MOTHER," They said in unison, making Naruto grin and Luna roll her eyes.

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"Luna?"

"Mmm."

"You still awake?"

"No."

"Well, if you _were _awake, could I ask ya something?"

"No."

"Alright, I'll go right ahead then since you aren'tawake to begin with."

"Mmm."

"I'll take that as an okay. That, uh...That monster that killed your dad?"

"Mmm?"

"What, uh...What would you do if you ever met up with it again?"

She opened her eyes at the tone in his voice. He sounded kind of...worried. Almost afraid. She sat up, blinking to adjust to the darkness.

She could've sworn she saw the curtains move as if someone were behind them, but decided she'd seen weirder things in Rei's house and thought nothing more of it.

"Why do you ask?"

Luna heard the distinct sound of him scratching the back of his neck; he always did that when he was nervous.

"...Just wondering."

"Well if you were _just wondering_, I won't _tell you_," she informed him.

"Well then, forget I asked."

Luna sighed. "Look, just tell me. The Tattoo not showing up on you, the flashbacks, the 'good chemical', this huge interest in the monster mentioned in the woman's diary...It doesn't make sense. So explain it."

"You wouldn't understand, Luna."

"Help me to. I helped you understand _me_, didn't I?"

He sighed. "...Well, yeah, but this is-"

"Different."

"Yep."

She glared at him in the dark, and she knew he could feel it. "I told you things I've never told another soul. Things that are confidential, and could get me killed should someone find out you, a civilian, know those things. And yet you can't explain to me this one simple thing about you!"

"See, THAT'S why. It's NOT simple!"

"Let _me _be the judge of that. Don't you trust me?" She asked, as he had asked _her_ about eighty million times.

There was a long silence, and Luna was nearly asleep when she heard a really quiet "Not tonight, Luna."

"DAMMIT!"


	22. The Frustrations Of Getting A Concussion

**This next little sequence is split into TWO parts, just so you know.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_When Luna woke up, she was still pissed at Naruto. But then she decided to push that aside when she heard Kei cry out "Mio!". The girl was still in the cage, just like before._

_Naruto let out a rather loud groan when he noticed Kei. "Awww, DAMMIT! We're with YOU?"_

_Luna stomped on his foot, and he groaned again, for a different reason. "Ow! Jeez, Luna, I LIKE my feet, I wanna be able to USE THEM after all this is over!"_

"_Then stop acting like an idiot and show some compassion, would you?" She hissed, gesturing to Kei._

_He currently had a stricken look on his face, and was fiddling with the door to the cage. There were two huge padlocks on it, and Naruto shone a light on them._

"_What the hell are THOSE supposed to stand for?" He asked, pointing to the symbols._

"_Light and Shadow," Luna and Kei said at the same time, with tones that suggested it was basic knowledge, earning a temple throb from Naruto._

"_...FINE then! I guess I'm the DUMBASS of the group tonight."_

"_Aren't you always?"_

"_I'M not the one hitting on minors, am I, Ky?"_

"_Both of you SHUT UP!" Luna snapped before an argument could break out. She pointed to Mio, who was mumbling to herself._

"_**It was a promise, Mayu...? We were always going to be together. So...I want to go, too...So we can be together again..."**_

"_Mio! ...It's okay. I'll be back soon," Kei assured her._

_Naruto and Luna exchanged a look; both of them knew Mio probably couldn't hear them at all right now._

_As Kei headed for the door to their right, as soon as he wasn't looking, Luna nudged Naruto, and he nodded before taking a picture of Mio._

_They heard Kei go "Holy SHIT!" as he snapped a picture. They looked into the room he had stepped into to see blood._

_Lots and lots of blood._

"_Whoaaa! What the SHIT fucking happened HERE?" Naruto shouted._

_

* * *

_

_And in front of Kei sat a man, bleeding, his voice raspy. "Don't come near...Stay away!" He urged them._

_Naruto gulped. "He doesn't have to tell me twice!" Luna rolled her eyes and grabbed him by his shirt, yanking him back as he tried to run out of the room._

"_Lu-naaa, I'm too young and hot to die!"_

"_Naruto, I thought you were a MAN."_

_He abruptly stopped struggling to look at her. "...You're right. I...am a man. A MANLY MAN! SHALL WE PROCEED, KY?"_

_Kei sighed heavily, used to him screwing up his name, and they kept going._

"_**Let's stay together forever."**_

"_**It's a promise."**_

_Naruto jumped again and snapped a picture of the two twin girls that appeared to their right. _

_They left the room to end up in a hallway. Down the hall, they saw a crimson butterfly flutter into a room._

_Kei followed it without question, and Naruto gave Luna a doubtful look. "Do you REALLY wanna use the guy who immediately goes 'Let's follow the pretty butterfly!'...as your eye candy?"_

_**BAM!**_

"_DAMMIT, LUNA!"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna sighed heavily as Kei snapped a picture of two other kids walking down the upstairs balcony. "Y'know, I really really REALLY miss my Camera Obscura."_

_Naruto smirked. "Oh yeah...THAT'S right...You got it snatched from you by a little KID!"_

"_SHUT UP, NARUTO!" She shouted. _

"_Not to change the subject, but I really think Michael Jackson would love this place," he said thoughtfully._

_Kei and Luna sweatdropped, turning to look at him. "And why do you think that?"_

_He shrugged. "Think about it. Not only is it creepy, so it could be the perfect place for a remake of Thriller or something like that, but this place is fucking LOADED with little kids!"_

_Kei sweatdropped again, and Luna covered her mouth as she started giggling. "Naruto, he's DEAD."_

"_...He is? Surely you jest, Ky!"_

"_Nope. He's been dead for a while now."_

"_Well...WELL THEN WHY THE HELL IS LUNA LAUGHING TOO?"_

_Luna held up a hand and shook her head as she laughed even harder. "Sorry, it's just...It's so true...And everyone's always so nice when talking about him now because he's dead, but...IT'S SO TRUE!"_

_Aaand THAT'S when she fell on the floor, rolling with laughter. Both dudes sweatdropped some more, and Naruto looked at Kei. _

"_...Y'know, Ky, I think all the stress and fear has finally caused her to have a nervous breakdown."_

_While Naruto tried to get Luna to stop laughing "Before you lose all your goddamn oxygen, you dumbass!", Kei picked up a notebook and started reading it out loud._

* * *

"**Masumi, it's Miyako. **

**I came to find you. Let's go back together.**

**If we're two, maybe we can leave. If you read this, shout for me.**

**Because I'm close.**

**Stay strong."**

_There was another one nearby, and he read that one aloud as well._

"**How much time has passed since I came into this village?**

**Dawn never breaks. I'm sick of the dark...I'm going crazy. I want to leave.**

**I want to see Masumi."**

* * *

"_Do you always read out loud to yourself, or were you doing that for our benefit?" Naruto asked dully from behind him._

_Kei turned around to answer. "Well, what do YOU think, Na..." He trailed off at the sight before him._

_Naruto was currently standing casually, waiting for Kei to finish his sentence. He was also holding Luna off the ground by her ankles, and her head was grazing the floor. Her arms were crossed, and she was pouting, muttering to herself. _

_Something about "Ninjas who get carried away when trying to stop people from having a good time"._

"_...Ruto?"_

"_My name's just one word. Naruto. Repeat after me: Naaa-ruuu-toooo."_

_Kei's temple throbbed. "I know how to say your name! Although...You don't pronounce MINE correctly, so I guess I'll call you Na Ruto from now on."_

"_How do you expect me to want to say your name right if you don't say MINE right!" Naruto said matter-of-factly._

_Kei sighed. "...Fine. Naruto."_

"_Thanks, Ky."_

"_DAMMIT, NARUTO, MY NAME IS KEI! KEI!"_

_Luna just rolled her eyes, and a random giggle escaped. The other two cocked their heads to look at her, since she was currently upside-down, and she giggled again._

"_Sorry. I think I'm a little hyper right now..."_

_A horrified expression crossed Naruto's face. "Ohhhh crap. Ky, we're in deep shit."_

* * *

"_It couldn't be THAT bad, Naruto."_

_He just laughed. "Oh, you'll see soon enough."_

_Naruto noticed a shiny in the room right in front of them, and he bent down to pick it up. As he did so, Luna's head bonked against the floor rather hard, and she giggled again. "Owww!"_

_She then smacked Naruto's fingers away from the shiny, making him sigh exasperatedly. "Luna, control yourself, would ya?"_

"_Hehehe, my old cat used to do that to MY fingers!" She informed him as if it were the most important information in the world._

"_You had a cat?"_

"_Yup! Wait...wait wait waaaaaiit...NO! It was Will's cat. Yeah...I wanted a dog...Yeah! That's it! A dog...you know, the ones that go bark-bark!"_

"_Yeah, I know what a dog is."_

_As he tried to figure out what key he had picked up, Luna started swinging herself a little, yelling "Wheee!" like a little kid, and scolding Naruto's legs as if it was THEIR fault she kept ramming into them._

_She then twisted herself to look at a certain box, staring at it for the longest time. Finally, Naruto peered down at her. "...What's so special about that box, Loon?"_

"_It was moving," she said slowly. Then she giggled. "Weird, huh?"_

_He grinned. "You didn't yell at me for calling you 'Loon'. Kinda worries me."_

_Luna waved him off. "I love it when you call me that!"_

"_...No you don't!"_

"_Yeah I do! I think I would know what I like and don't like."_

"_Then how come you're always so annoyed when I do it?"_

_She made a little "Psh!" noise, waving her hand to and fro. "There's a lot of things you do that I pretend to be annoyed at!"_

"_WHY?"_

"_Because I loooove to piss you off," she said with a giggle._

_

* * *

_

_Naruto sweatdropped as Kei gaped at Luna's odd behavior. "...I think I might've given her a concussion, Ky. She's gonna KILL ME when she's back to normal!"_

_Kei rolled his eyes and gestured to her. "Hand her over, I'll carry her."_

_Naruto swung her further away from him. "No way! I've got this."_

_They went back and forth about it for a few minutes, and finally Luna clapped her hands together a good eighty times to get their attention._

"_SIMMER DOWN, DUDES!" She then wriggled out of Naruto's grip, falling on her side and hitting her head again._

_Both guys winced, and she hopped right up with some more giggles. "I'm okay, I'm okay! Let's just keep going. I CAN walk, after all! So...MOVE!"_

"_Whatever you say, Loon," Naruto said with a heavy sigh, making her giggle again at the use of her nickname._

_Kei motioned to the key in Naruto's hand. "Where does that go?" _

"_I dunno. It says 'Ginger'."_

_Kei nodded and led them upstairs. "I know where that goes!" As they went up the stairs, Luna gasped and tapped both of their shoulders spastically._

"_YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUUUUYYSSSS!"_

"_WHAT?" They shouted, trying to get away from whatever presence was causing the Camera's Ghost Alarm to go off, making a screeching noise._

_She closed her mouth before pouting at them, her brown eyes wide. "WELL then, never MIND! If you're gonna be that way about it! ...Sourpusses, you made me forget."_

_Kei looked at Naruto, who just shook his head. "I told you we were in deep shit, but NOOOO, you didn't listen!"_

"_We WOULDN'T be if you hadn't DROPPED HER ON HER HEAD!"_

"_HEY, it's not MY FAULT she was so close to the floor!"_

"_How was it not your fault, you were the one CARRYING HER, DUMBASS!"_

"_HEY, only Luna gets away with calling me a dumbass! ...AND Sakura, I guess, but that's beside the point, FRAT BOY!"_

"_Why you little-"_

_Luna suddenly gasped. "WAIT WAIT WAIT, YOU GUYS! GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUUUYYSSS! I JUST REMEMBERED WHAT I WANTED TO SAY!"_

"_WHAT?" They shouted, staring daggers at each other._

_She cleared her throat importantly, and they looked at her with interest at the solemn look on her face._

"_I...Have an important announcement."_

"_...Which would be?" They prompted._

"_ALL IN GOOD TIME, GIMME A MINUTE TO BUILD DRAMATIC EFFECT AND SUSPENSE!" She shouted before clearing her throat again and looking at them even more solemnly._

"_I...I...I just realized..."_

"_JUST GET ON WITH IT!" They shouted, and she jumped before pouting again._

"_FINE! ...I have to...I HAVE TO PEE REALLY BAD!" She whined._

_

* * *

_

_Both guys sweatdropped. Kei looked to Naruto, who then pointed at him. "YOU SICK PERVERT! I'M NOT HELPING HER FIND A BATHROOM, ARE YOU INSANE?"_

"_But I really really really really REALLY have to goooo!" She informed him, bouncing a little._

_They both looked at Naruto, and Kei sighed. "You don't have to WATCH HER GO, just help her FIND ONE."_

"_Why ME? Aren't you the EXPERT on this place, Frat Boy?"_

"_Exactly why I should look for the keys to save Mio! I'll meet up with you two outside her cage, alright? Just...I'm sure there's a bathroom around here somewhere!"_

"_But I'm not her BABYSITTER, I mean..." He trailed off as she used her infamous Big Brown Eyes trick again._

_Funny how even when she was loopy, she could still master that trick and totally use it against him, AGAIN. _

"_Pleeease, Naruto? I could only trust YOU, this is a job for MANLY MEN!"_

_Shit. She had him hook, line, and sinker with that one._

"_...Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!" He muttered as he stomped after her; she was currently skipping down the hallway and singing some made-up song._

_Kei just chuckled and shook his head. "Have fun, Na Ruto."_

"_Ky, DON'T make me kill you."_

_

* * *

_

**Hahaha Poor Naruto...No telling what they're gonna run into! **

**REVIEW! **


	23. The Word And FlavorBlasted Goldfish!

**Okay, you caught me, i lied. **

**Three parts.**

**This chapp wasn't intended to be this long OR this random, but...let's just say i got attacked by plot bunnies in the form of my best friend and i together drinking lots of sodas while i wrote this XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_Naaaaaaruto?"_

"_WHAT."_

"_Are we thereeee yet?"_

"_NO."_

"_Oh. ...And now?"_

"_NO."_

"_Now?"_

"_NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!"_

_She blinked, then ruffled his hair. "No need to be a sourpuss!"_

_He sighed heavily. "Luna?"_

"_Yeeeesss?"_

"_If I were you, I would be quiet for about five minutes unless you want me to KILL YOU!"_

_She sweatdropped. "...Jeez, and you say **I** need anger management."_

_He just sighed again and shook his head as she skipped down the hall, in and out of his way. "Narutooo, I feel like singing."_

"_Then sing."_

"_It won't bother you?"_

"_Of course it'll bother me, but there's no way in hell I can stop you, is there?"_

"_Nope," she said brightly. She then started singing in time with her skipping. "Ottoman couch, how handsome your furniture. Lovely enough, but, dressed for a funeral. Beggin' you to sit for a portrait on the wall, tooooo ha-ang in the dark of some parliamentary hall!"_

_Suddenly she stopped and gave him a really serious look. "Hey, Naruto."_

_He sighed yet again. "...YES, Loon?"_

_She paused to smile at the nickname, then returned to looking serious. "Have you heard...The Word?"_

"_...What word?"_

_Suddenly, she burst into song again. _

"_Weeeeeeeeelll, EVERYBODY KNOWS that the bird is the word!  
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word! B-b-b-bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word,  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, the bird is the word,  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word!  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word,  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word,  
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word!  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word,  
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word!  
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word,  
A-well-a don't you know about the bird?  
Well, everybody knows that the bird is the word!  
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word,  
A-well-a-" _

_"SHUT THE HELL UP BEFORE I GO NINJA ON YOUR ASS!" He shouted suddenly, making her jump._

_She just blinked at him. "...Fine. Sourpuss." He shook his head and kept walking, but not before hearing her mutter, "The bird is STILL the word."_

* * *

"_LUNA, I SWEAR TO GOD!"_

"_SORRYYYY! ...Don't avoid the truth, Naruto, it is SO the word."_

"_NO IT'S NOT! IT IS HEREBY DECREED THAT BIRD IS **NOT** THE WORD!"_

"_YOU CAN'T **DO** THAT!"_

"_OH YEAH? **WATCH ME**!"_

"_OH YEAH? I'M SUING YOU, ON BEHALF OF PETER GRIFFIN, BECAUSE THE BIRD IS **SO** THE WORD!"_

"_FINE, YOU DO THAT! SEE IF I TAKE **YOU** TO THE BATHROOM!"_

_She then immediately ran after him. "Narutooo, I'm sorryyyy! Can we go straight to laughing about this while we find me a bathroom?"_

"_You know...I think I WON'T take you to the bathroom, JUST to piss you off."_

"_Well, SPEAKING of piss...I'll just walk right next to you for a while, and we'll see who's laughing THEN!"_

"_...Lu-naaaa, I'm sorryyyy! Can we go straight to laughing about THIS?"_

"_Sure. Right after I pee on you while shouting 'THE BIRD IS **SO** THE WORD!'"_

"_DAMMIT, LUNA, IT'S **NOT** THE **WORD**!"_

"_WELL THEN, WHAT **IS**?"_

"_...SOMETHING!"_

"_BUT THAT'S A STUPID WORD!"_

"_SO IS BIRD!"_

_She paused, then started humming. "Well, EVERBODY knows that SOMETHING's the word! A-Something, something, something, something. Something's the word!"_

* * *

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_"But you CLEARLY STATED that-"_

"_FORGET I SAID ANYTHING, JUST FORGET IT, AND SHUT THE HELL UP!"_

"_...Sourpuss."_

"_SHUT UP!"_

"_Make me."_

"_I **AM** MAKING YOU!"_

"_Nooo you're not..."_

"_YES, I am."_

"_Well you must be doing a craptacular job of it, 'cause guess what? A-well-a bird bird bird, the bird is the word, a-well-a bird bird bird-"_

_**THUNK!**_

_He started laughing as she glared at the wall she had just run into, and she turned the glare onto him. "...Never speak of this again."_

"_Never speak of The Word."_

"_But EVERYBODY KNOWS that the-"_

"_NO, SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****HOURS LATER...**_

"_Narutoooo, this is SERIOUS!"_

"_WHAT...NOW?"_

"_I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REEEAALLLLY GOTTA GO! AND IT'S BAD FOR YOUR BLADDER IF YOU KEEP HOLDING IT IN, DON'T YOU KNOW **ANYTHING**?"_

"_Well, BY ALL MEANS, if you know where a bathroom is, GO FIND IT!"_

"_How should **I** know?"_

"_Well, how should **I** know, either?"_

_She huffed. "Good point. You don't know CRAP."_

_His temple throbbed. "Do you want me to help you find one, or NOT?"_

"_Not really. Kei's the one who told you to help me. I am PLENTY CAPABLE of navigating through this-" She cut off as she tripped over a stack of books, landing flat on her face, then hiccuped. _

"_...Place."_

_He pulled her up with one hand, making her giggle and hiccup again._ "_...Uh-huh. I can see that."_

_Her giggles immediately faded into an angry glare._ "_SHUT UP! IT'S **YOUR** FAULT, **YOU** DROPPED ME ON MY HEAD, YOU JERKFACE!"_

"_**YOU'RE** THE ONE WHO WAS DUMB ENOUGH TO LET ME CARRY YOU BY THE ANKLES!"_

"_NOT LIKE I HAD A **CHOICE**! YOU MAY BE A TOTAL, COMPLETE **IDIOT**, BUT YOU'RE STILL STRONGER THAN ME!"_

"_...Gee, THANKS!"_

"_It's TRUE! Just like how it's true that the BIRD IS THE WORD!"_

"_SHUT UP ABOUT THAT!"_

"_But, like I said previously, EVERYBODY KNOWS that the bird is the word!" She thought about it for a second, then beamed at him._

"_Nevermind. Everyone with a BRAIN STEM knows the bird is the word, so I guess you're automatically ruled out. My bad."_

_

* * *

_

_His temple throbbed, and he seemed to be using all his self-control to not snatch the gun out of her pocket and shoot her with it._

"_...Yes, your bad. Can we PLEASE try and find this bathroom now? Actually...How do we even know FOR SURE this place even HAS a bathroom?"_

_She sighed as if he were a total idiot. "Be-CAUSE, even ghosts have to pee! Besides...According to Kei, we're currently in All God's Village, a village erased from the map after a cataclysmic event destroyed the whole townand killed everyone in it save for one woman . Now, do you REALLY THINK they were a village without any forms of a toilet?"_

_Naruto crossed his arms, huffing moodily. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. Ky the College-Going Wonder knows EVERYTHING!"_

"_He knows more than YOU," she replied matter-of-factly. "Then again, you don't know very much, so that's not saying a whole lot."_

"_Loon, I say this because I care: SHUT UP OR DIE."_

"_**YOU **SHUT UP OR DIE, BIRD-HATER!"_

"_I am NOT a bird-hater!"_

"_Do you know The Word?"_

"_What word? ...Waaaait a second! Luna, NO-"_

"_Weeeeeell, EVERYBODY KNOWS that the bird is the- TOILET!" She screeched, running for some random closet._

_He watched her, jaw on the ground, as she started to casually pull down her boxer shorts. He slammed the door in her face spastically. "SHUT THE DAMN DOOR, IDIOT!"_

"_SORRRYYYYY! I JUST REEEEEALLLY HAD TO GO, AND I FORGOT YOU WERE THERE!"_

"_...Wow, I feel so special. I'm that easily forgotten?" He wondered, the background turning depressing._

* * *

"_I bet she wouldn't forget KY was there. Because Ky knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING! In fact, I bet she thinks Ky would've found the damn bathroom in FIVE MINUTES TOPS. Stupid Frat Boy, thinks he knows everything-"_

"_Hey Naruto?"_

"_WHY ARE YOU INTERRUPTING MY RANT?" He demanded._

_She giggled. "Can you hear the rushing noise?" She asked._

"_...HURRY UP AND PEE, YOU SICK FREAK!"_

"_THAT'S NOT NICE! DON'T MAKE ME LEAVE A LITTLE PRESENT IN HERE FOR **YOUR** POTTY BREAK!"_

"_HURRY UP, WE DON'T HAVE ALL NIGHT! AND WHAT MAKES YOU THINK **I** HAVE TO PEE?"_

"_Be-CAUSE, if I say 'Pee' enough times, **you'll** have to pee!"_

"_Chyeah right!"_

"_You wanna bet?"_

"_Why yes, I do. BECAUSE YOU'RE **SOOOO** WRONG!"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_Pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee-" She paused to gulp in a huge breath, then continued walking beside him, hissing the chant in his ear. _

"_PEEEEEEEEEE PEE PEE PEE- Oh, I just got an idea!"_

_She then started making whoosh noises before screeching "PEE" to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"._

_He was gonna do it, he was THIS CLOSE to jumping off a bridge, and finally he just said "FINE, LET'S HEAD BACK TO THE BATHROOM! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"_

_She pumped a fist, running in the direction in which the "special bathroom" was located. "WHOO-HOOOO! FIELD TRIP!"_

_Luna waited patiently beside the closet, then smiled. "I knew you'd have to pee. Because I...am MAGIC! Not just magic, PSYCHIC! ...But only on weekends."_

_He sweatdropped again and just shook his head. "Of course you are, Loon. Of course you are."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**A ****MINUTE LATER...**_

"_Hey, what kind of 'present' were you talking about? There was nothing there," he asked as he exited the "Special Bathroom" and they kept going._

_She giggled. "I farted!"_

_He couldn't help it; he started laughing like an idior. "HA! You, LUNA SASAKI...Farted! When you're back to normal, you're NEVER gonna live this down!"_

_She grinned. "And when I'm back to normal, something tells me you're gonna have a lot of bruises."_

_Luna then skipped ahead of him, starting to twirl down the hallway. "Hey, Naa-ruuu-tooo?" She called out, and it sounded weird since she was spinning._

"_What?"_

"_Did you know that I have a heart-shaped birthmark on my back?"_

"_Why would I know that?"_

"_I dunno, I just thought you'd like to know!"_

_He was about to say something perverted, but just sighed and shook his head, letting her continue to act like a five-year-old in the Scariest Place On Earth._

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_I think...We're LOST," she told him slowly. She was starting to come down off her Utimate High, now swiftly approaching Crash Mode._

_Naruto huffed. "We...Are NOT lost."_

"_Then where are we?"_

"_...Someplace."_

_With the expression on Luna's face, you would've thought he had just told her Rei-Rei had died or something._

"_NOOOO! We ARE lost, I KNEW IT!" She wailed. Naruto sweatdropped as she then proceeded to plop her head against his shoulder, burying her face and sobbing._

"_Narutooo, if we're LOST, that means a ghost could come along, and I don't have my camera, and it's gonna RAPE US or something, maybe the Ghost Groper Clan would finally get revenge for us totally OWNING them last time! And...the worst part is..."_

"_What, what's the worst part?" He asked a little worriedly._

"_We have no GOLDFISH!" She wailed, sobbing even harder. _

"_...What?"_

"_GOLDFISH, NARUTO, I WANT GOLDFISH! I HAVEN'T HAD GOLDFISH IN SEVEN YEARS!"_

"_SEVEN YEARS?"_

"_I know, isn't it awful? Not since I lived with the Sasakis! It used to be my favorite food, next to ramen...And NOW I'M ABOUT TO DIE WITHOUT RELIVING MY CHILDHOOD LOVE FOR GOLDFISH!" She screeched._

_By this point, she was pretty much inconsolable, and he hesitantly patted the top of her head. "...There, there. It's okay, don't cry-"_

"_IT'S NOT **OKAY**! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW THE HELL IS THIS OKAY? WE HAVE NO GOLDFISH, AND NEITHER DOES REI-REI AT HER HOUSE, THAT IS **SO **NOT OKAY!"_

_Now she was pissed at him? The hell!_

"_...Are you on your period?"_

"_YE-E-ESSS, and it SUCKSSSS!" She wailed, returning to sobbing on his shoulder. _

_

* * *

_

_He sweatdropped and slowly started moving again. "Well, we can't get any Goldfish just **standing **here, now, can we?"_

_She sniffled and raised her head a little. "...I guess not.."_

"_Well then let's keep moving, alright? I'll find you some Goldfish."_

"_R-Really?" She asked like he had just said he'd give her a million dollars._

"_Yep. It's now my LIFE MISSION!"_

_"Flavor-Blasted?"_

_"Of course."_

_Luna jumped up and down, clapping her hands happily, then hugged him. "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"_

* * *

"_WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HUGGING ME?"_

"_I DUNNO, JUST SAVOR THE MOMENT WHILE IT LASTS BEFORE I GO BACK TO MAKING YOU MISERABLE!" _

"_OKAY!"_

"_OKAY!"_

_He had just started hugging her back (**H****ehehehe, my hands are so close to her ass right now!**) when he noticed something kind of odd._

"_...Hey, Loon?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_This place looks kind of different..."_

_Still hugging him, she turned her head to the side to look around, and her eyes widened. Luna immediately grew stiff, and he let her go to hold her out at arm's length._

_She was looking around frantically. **Same pale yellow walls, same kitchen, same wooden stairway...Same furniture...**_

_Her lower lip trembled, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly for a moment. "No way. This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't-"_

"_What's not real? What the hell's wrong with you NOW?"_

_The next two sentences came out through a choked whisper. "This is the Sasaki house. This is where I used to live with my foster family."_


	24. The Diaries And Heavy Metal Bar Stools

**Yay! We're back where the cliffie left off!**

**Enjoy. And please please PLEASE review, for the love of POP-TARTS, review.**

* * *

"_Wait...So THIS is where-"_

"_Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_...I'm not getting Goldfish any time soon, am I?" She squeaked. He watched her as she slowly moved around the kitchen, touching random things. Cautiously, like she expected them to attack her at any moment._

_Luna opened the fridge, just for the hell of it, and with the extra light from the inside of it, she could see the blood._

_It was smeared in paths around the room, one right where she was standing, leading into the living room and up the stairs._

_He could also see in the light of the fridge that her legs were shaking llike crazy. "Maybe we could just leave the way we came," he suggested._

_She shook her head slowly. "...No. No, we have to go through here. It's here for a reason." Luna carefully stepped out of the blood trail, walking around stiffly, almost as if she were using her legs for the first time._

_She had that look on her face; the one she got when she was seeing things he couldn't. "What do you see?" He asked, walking behind her in case she freaked out._

"_What do I see? ...I see...I see sunlight in that window over there. My foster mom's at the stove. My foster dad's reading the newspaper, right beside you on that stool to your left. He's sipping coffee. Will's checking the fridge for some milk for our Frosted Flakes. ...Well, MY milk's going in my cup, I eat my cereal dry. He ate his the 'normal way'...Now they're all gone!" She said suddenly._

_Instead of snapping out of it, she started noticeably trembling all over. "There's lightning. It's dark now...Someone's fiddling with the kitchen knives, but...no..no, it couldn't be me. Right?" She suddenly snapped out of it, blinking at the stool in which her foster dad had been sitting._

"_Right?"_

_He was about to answer, but she suddenly shivered a little, hiccuped, and headed for the living room._

_Before she did, she suddenly walked a good five feet away from the entrance. "...Something tells me I shouldn't go in there yet..."_

"_How about upstairs?" _

_Luna hesitated, then nodded and led the way up the creaky wooden stairs._

* * *

"_These stairs didn't always look like this. They used to be pretty nice and smooth. ...I guess they're just worn with age and neglect now," She said softly, more to herself._

_How was she remembering all this? WHY was she remembering this?_

_As she went up the stairs, her view would randomly flash between the past and present. She didn't like it._

_The blood trail went all the way down the hall, but Luna slowed to a stop in front of one room in particular._

_One with lime green walls, and glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling. Just like the stars she had attached to her ceiling in the Agency right before she left for Tokyo weeks ago._

_Although now these stars were glowing only dimly, casting an eery greenish-yellow glow around the room._

_Luna couldn't help but chuckle a little. "...Huh. Without even realizing it, I recreated my childhood room..."_

_She moved around her room, fiddling with knicknacks, opening and closing books. Naruto did the same, and soon came across a shiny. "Hey, look, you have a shiny in here."_

_He picked it up. "...A diary." She stiffened, turning to look at him. "I kept a diary?"_

"_Looks that way. You wanna read it?"_

_She rubbed her eyes with a yawn. "Could you? My voice hurts from all that screaming and singing."_

_He frowned a little at the very thought, hoping she wouldn't start singing about Bird being The Word again, then opened it to the first page._

**

* * *

**

**"****January 23rd, 2003**

**I don't like it here. I've been here three days, but it's already pretty obvious that this place sucks. **

**My foster brother barely talks to me, the mom is way too nice for it to be real, and the dad is just like his son.**

**What, does that Will kid think I LIKE being here? I didn't ASK to be here. I was perfectly fine with being on my own. I like being on my own. Less people to deal with that don't understand me.**

**Then again, who would? It's hard to understand someone who plays with ghosts."**

**

* * *

**

**"****January 29th, 2003**

**There's a lot of ghosts here. They come into my room a lot. My foster brother said MORE than three sentences to me today. He even offered to teach me some of Jackie Chan's karate moves. How he plans to do this, I have no idea. **

**He falls flat on his butt every time he tries.**

**The mom won't stop being nice to me.**

**She's getting annoying."**

**

* * *

**

**"****February 5th, 2003**

**I now know 18 of Jackie Chan's moves. Also, I discovered I get along with Will a lot more than I thought. **

**I used to have really weird dreams about this huge monster, and about my mommy, but they happen less and less.**

**...Don't tell anyone I still call her mommy. Even after she left me by myself."**

**

* * *

**

**"****February 10th, 2003**

**The ghosts don't talk to me as much lately. It's nice. Without them trying to play with me all night, I can get some sleep.**

**For some reason, when I told Will that, he just laughed in a weird way. His mom smacked him upside the head and told him to stop being so perverted. **

**To which his dad said he was a DUDE and DUDES have NEEDS. **

**I still don't know what the heck THAT means."**

_Luna smiled. "I think you and my foster dad would get along pretty good, huh?"_

_"Aw, c'mon, it was ONE TIME!"_

_"Not JUST ONE, you perverted little liar!"_

_"...Okay, fine, let's just keep reading, shall we?"_

_"Gee, how'd I know you would say THAT?"_

* * *

**"****February 12th****, 2003**

**Mom explained to me what Valentine's Day was. It's coming up in 2 days. Yeah, that's right, I call her mom now. So what?**

**Well anyway, according to her, Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love for one another. **

**But Will and his friend Akito refer to it as International Getting Laid Day. I asked him what that meant when mom and dad were gone to get groceries, and...well...I don't think I'll ever be the same again.**

**I think I'm scarred for life.**

**I should explain all this to my ghost friends. Half of them don't even know what PUBERTY is, so wait until they hear about getting LAID!"**

_Naruto started laughing at how red Luna was. "Jeez, Loon, were you a perverted kid or WHAT?"_

"_SHUT UP AND KEEP READING!"_

"_FINE, FINE! Jeez."_

**

* * *

**

**"****February 14th****, 2003**

**I've never experienced anything like Valentine's Day. I met the neighbors' kids, they were playing outside.**

**So me and Will played with them.**

**The middle son and the youngest son did the stupidest thing. Their older sister jokingly asked if I was the middle son's new girlfriend, to which the youngest said I was HIS girlfriend. **

**They started wrestling in the front yard, while I tried to inform them I was extremely single.**

**They didn't listen.**

**So me and their sisters went inside and they taught me how to cook french toast.**

**I assume Will got laid, because he was gone most of the day, but how should I know? I know that with their matching black eyes, the two brothers sure didn't.**

**I think their names are...um...I remember the middle one's name being Kei, but...the younger one...jeez, I can't remember right now! My ghost friends keep distracting me right now. They insist I teach them how to make french toast.**

**Not that it'd do much good for them NOW, if you get my drift...**

..**.PS: That Kei kid was kind of cute..."**

_Luna's eyes were as wide as saucers, and Naruto was busy banging his head against her dusty wall. _

"_No no no no no no NO! DAMMIT, KY, **HOW**? I NEVER STOOD A CHANCE, ARE YOU **KIDDING **ME?"_

* * *

"_Umm, Naruto, it'll be okay-"_

"_It's not OKAY! Are you kidding me? ONLY FRICKING KY could turn out to be your neighbor who hit on you on Valentine's Day, ONLY KY! And now, seven years later, he's STILL managed to somehow make my life a living hell! THIS IS NOT OKAY!" He wailed._

_Luna sweatdropped and patted the top of his head. "...There-there. Please don't make yourself lose brain cells."_

"_Why, Loon, WHY did you have to get taken in by HIS NEIGHBORS? THE HELL KIND OF CRUEL WORLD IS THIS!"_

"_Wait, so suddenly it's MY FAULT?"_

"_YE-E-ESS, AND IT SUCKS!" He wailed between headbangs._

_Luna sighed, took the diary out of his hands, and handed him another one she had seen while he was reading. "Well, doesn't THIS sound familiar? Here, try this one once you're done wallowing in self pity."_

"_I can just IMAGINE, THREE YEARS FROM NOW, IF YOU KEPT A DIARY..."_

_He pretended to be writing on a page. "Dear Diary. Ky PROPOSED to me today! On our anniversary! Ky is SO WONDERFUL! HE KNOWS ALL! OF **COURSE **I SAID **YES**! I should GO PICK OUT MY VEIL WITH BECS AND KAGOME! ...Oh, that reminds me. I think Naruto got hit by a car today. How tragic."_

_Luna's temple throbbed. "...Okay, now you're just being ridiculous."_

_He sighed heavily, the end of it sounding like more of a whine, and she pointed to the diary in his hand. "Could you please do me a favor and read that one aloud, too?"_

_Naruto glared at her, muttered "Even as an 8-year-old, you and stupid frigging Ky were out to make me miserable," and cleared his throat dramatically before reading._

**

* * *

**

**"****May 4th, 2004**

**I thought I wouldn't have dreams about it anymore. But they've been coming back lately, and every time I have it, I see more and more scary details of the monster that killed my daddy.**

**My real daddy.**

**Not just my daddy, but lots of other people. People in weird military clothes. Some kind of foreign army, maybe? I don't know.**

**I hardly remember anything about the time before I came to live with the Sasakis.**

**The ghosts bother me more and more."**

**

* * *

****"****May 17th, 2004**

**More ghosts. **

**They're not as friendly anymore. They demand my time, as if it's all my fault they're here. They yell at me sometimes.**

**Is it my fault they're here? **

**Are they right?"**

**

* * *

**

**"****May 24th, 2004**

**I barely go outside anymore. I stay in my room a lot. Will tells me Haru, Kei's little brother, and their big sister, Shizu, ask about me every now and then.**

**Mom tells them when she thinks I'm not within earshot that she had asked a doctor friend about this.**

**He said that I might have Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder, some kind of American term for some kind of depression or something.**

**I guess I'll let her think that. **

**But the real reason is nothing remotely close. I am just...nevermind."**

**

* * *

**

**"June 18th, 2004**

**Afraid.**

**That's what I wanted to say last time.**

**I am truly afraid. **

**The ghosts are getting meaner. One ghost in particular. He reminds me of a snake. He's very shifty.**

**Sometimes I wonder if he's really a ghost, because even when I want him to leave with all my heart, he's the only ghost who isn't forced away when I tell him to.**

**See, usually ghosts can only talk to you when invited by you. When you say no more, that means no more.**

**Apparently this ghost has never heard of that, because he never leaves.**

**He just waits.**

**He waits in different areas of the house- sometimes the closet, sometimes under my bed, sometimes in the basement, sometimes in the attic, too. And then, when night falls and I'm alone in my room, he comes out to talk to me.**

**He asks me weird questions. **

**He mentions chakra a lot, whatever the heck that is. **

**He shows me magic tricks, and when I can't do them, he gets mad. He hit me once, but after I hit him with a bat and sprayed him in the face with some mace my mom got me, he quickly learned his lesson.**

**No more hitting for him."**

**

* * *

**

**"June 25th, 2004**

**I did a magic trick correctly. He was very happy.**

**He truly is a creepy ghost. **

**I don't like him being here, but he won't leave...No matter what I do, he won't leave.**

**June 31st, 2004**

**His magic tricks aren't like normal magician tricks.**

**He says I can't show anybody.**

**I finally screamed at him to leave me alone after one trick he showed me made me kill a baby bird.**

**I've never killed something before, and I never want to do it again.**

**He left. I'm so happy, I could run a mile! I think I'll play with the Amakuras today...!"**

**

* * *

**

**"July 1st, 2004**

**Bullocks.**

**Will said that was a British cuss word, so technically I'm not breaking any of mom's rules by saying it.**

**The Snake Man may be gone, but I hear him in my head.**

**And he refuses to shut up."**

**

* * *

**

**"July 14th, 2004**

**I keep getting headaches.**

**I think they're his fault. In fact, I KNOW they are. **

**He's talking to me right now. He says the scariest things to me."**

* * *

**"July 16th, 2004**

**My dreams about mommy and the monster that killed daddy are getting worse and worse. **

**I keep waking up in the middle of the night, and my new mom tries to comfort me. But I have to really focus to hear her over Snake Man.**

**He tells me the monster that killed my daddy doesn't look like a monster anymore. He says he looks like a little boy, just like I look like a little girl.**

**I asked him what he meant, but all he said was that it takes a monster to know a monster.**

**What kind of game is that Snake Man playing at?**

**I hate tough mind games. That's why I always lose at Clue."**

* * *

**"July 24th, 2004**

**It's getting worse.**

**It's getting worse.**

**He keeps telling me I'm going to do something bad soon, and that it's all my fault, and there's nothing I can do about it.**

**He says I'm gonna hurt my new family.**

**He says I'll never be the same.**

**He asks me if I want revenge against the monster that killed my daddy. At first, I thought about actually answering him.**

**I thought about it once. If I were any match for this monster, would I do it?**

**I used to think so.**

**But now I don't know. What if the monster was like me, and didn't have a choice? **

**He says I don't have a choice. I wouldn't want someone taking their revenge on ME."**

**

* * *

**

**"July 26th, 2004**

**Do people change?**

**Do monsters change?**

**I can't stop thinking about this monster. The monster that killed my daddy, yet now he looks like a little kid.**

**It confuses me.**

**When I asked Snake Man this, he said I was stupid. He said the monster didn't change form, he's just stuck inside a little boy.**

**He said if I wanted revenge, I would have to get rid of the boy to get to the monster inside.**

**Like a Tootsie Roll Pop, I guess.**

**So I've made my decision for two reasons. Snake Man wants me to kill him, so why would I do what he wants me to after all the headaches and misery he's causing me?**

**Also, I promised myself I wouldn't kill another living thing.**

**So, I've decided that if I were to ever meet this monster boy that killed my daddy, I would do the exact opposite of what I was supposed to do.**

**I'd protect him at all costs.**

**That seems like something Mulan would do. She's my favorite Disney character. She's the only sensible Disney princess.**

**I guess that's because she's not technically a princess. I think it might be required that princesses be ditzy and dependent sometimes."**

**

* * *

**

**"August 3rd, 2004**

**It hurts. **

**It hurts really bad. My head. He won't stop talking. He won't stop telling me to kill. He wants me to kill.**

**Kill them all! That's what he keeps shouting at me.**

**But I won't. I won't. I won't be known as the monster that killed the Sasakis.**

**I won't. I won't. My head hurts too much to write anything else."**

**

* * *

**

**"Tonight**

**It's happening. Tell them I didn't want to. Tell them I tried to stop it.**

**Help. It hurts. It hurts. Help m"**

_"...It just cuts off at the 'm'," Naruto concluded quietly._

* * *

_Luna was currently trembling, as if she were reliving those last few months. She flopped onto __the dusty bed, staring at the floor, deep in thought._

"_So...I...They..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Naruto, can we go now?"_

"_Sure." He headed for the door, but she was still sitting there. "...Loon?" He said carefully._

_No answer._

_Naruto walked over to her, and moved to at least touch her shoulder, but she shot up and turned away for a second._

_When she turned back to look at him, she looked a lot more composed. She smiled weakly at him. "I'm guessing we can leave the way we came?"_

"_I guess."_

_Luna headed for the door, and he hesitantly followed her, glancing around the room one last time. "You sure you're okay?"_

"_Hmm? Yes, of course," she said as if the answer were obvious._

_Which it was, because he had seen her crying no matter how quickly she had turned away from him._

**_

* * *

_**

**_THREE _****_MINUTES __LATER__..._**

_It had turned out that the way they had come was now a solid wall, so they were currently sitting in her old kitchen, afraid to go any further._

_Because if Luna was scared, and this was HER MEMORY, then of course Naruto was scared crapless to keep going._

"_...Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Please talk to me about something. Anything. You're just making me more sad."_

_He pouted. "We could always talk about Ky, The Boy Next Door."_

_She groaned, and that just made him more annoyed. "Oh, yes, that's right. I ANNOY you! But Ky, oh no, how could he POSSIBLY annoy you? That would mean he did something wrong! How FOOLISH OF ME, to think he could possibly do wrong in your eyes! What was I thinking?"_

"_Everyone knows you don't THINK, Naruto, or else you wouldn't be so hung up over this whole Kei thing."_

"_It's not FAIR!" He whined._

_Luna sighed. "Why do YOU care, anyways? I mean, you have Miku, don't you? If I did like Kei the way you seem to THINK I like him, which is apparently madly in love, why would it matter?"_

_He sighed as if SHE were the idiot. "Be-CAUSE, that would mean he WON! And, like I said, when we got home, all I'd hear about would be Ky, Ky, FREAKING KY!"_

"_And like **I **said, why would I confide in YOU about KEI?"_

"_Because you'll get all DEPRESSED, and you'll start EATING YOUR FEELINGS, and then I'll have to DEAL WITH IT, and it's just...not...FAIR!" He wailed._

_

* * *

_

_Luna looked like she was on the brink of laughing. "Naruto Uzumaki, you have the most ineresting theories and scenarios, you know that?"_

_He crossed his arms. "Humph. Not as interesting as KY'S theories, though."_

_She rolled her eyes, stood up, walked over to him, and kissed him on the cheek. "...There. As a reward for being so concerned...and for taking my Goldfish dilemma as seriously as it should be taken...You officially got something Kei hasn't. Happy?"_

_Luna looked around; the house seemed infinitely less scary now. "...I guess we could keep going now." She walked about ten feet before realizing Naruto was still sitting on the stool, jaw on the ground._

_She stifled a giggle. "...You comin'?"_

_He immediately jumped up and ran to catch up with her. "Right, right, my bad. ...Hey, Loon?"_

"_What?"_

"_Do I get a reward for actually GETTING you Goldfish? An even BETTER reward?"_

_Her temple throbbed. "You're never going to let this go, are you?"_

"_Never."_

"_Dammit, I'm already regretting doing that."_

"_Aw, c'mon, you know you liked it!"_

**_BAM._**

"_DAMMIT, THAT STOOL WAS FRICKING HEAVY METAL!"_

"_Oh, don't worry, concussions aren't THAT bad! Here, lemme SHOW YOU!"_

"_AHHHH! LU-NAAA, PUT IT DOWN, PUT IT DOWN!"_


	25. Dirty Little Secrets And Nosy Ghosts

**...Man, this chapter was frustrating yet fun all at once. XD**

**Enjoy!**

_

* * *

_

_The living room was totally ransacked, and it was really hard to look at because she would have random moments where her vision would flash back to the last night she spent in the Sasaki house._

_It wasn't a good time, either._

_They dodged the random items on the ground, and the blood, and were about to open her front door when there was a flash._

_They both jumped and turned around to see Past Self holding Luna's camera and smiling._

"_This thing has a great viewfinder. You see all **kinds **of things with this lens." She narrowed her eyes at Naruto._

"_...LOTS of things. Like what might be lurking inside someone you trusted."_

_Luna looked between the two; Naruto looked just about paralyzed with fear at her words. Now she was worried, but mostly pissed at the stupid midget of a threat she called Past Self._

"_Gimme my camera back. NOW."_

_Past Self shrugged and disappeared, reappearing in front of her and holding out the camera. "Here. I've seen all I needed to see. Kinda wish you had faced Kiriko on your own down in that tunnel, though. You would've been TOAST!" She said with a giggle._

_Past Self paused, biting her lip and looking between her and Naruto thoughtfully. "ACTUALLY...I kinda like this better. You're gonna flip when you find out your pal's dirty little secret. Just remember that you're gun is FULLY LOADED, alright?"_

_With another mischievous giggle, she was gone. Luna gripped the door tighter, staring at Naruto. "Dirty little secret? What's she talking about?"_

_Now HE was the one shaking. "N-Nothing, Loon. It's nothing. Ready to go?"_

"_Been ready," she said with an anxious laugh, worry heavily coloring her voice._

_As soon as the door swung open, everything turned bright, and they woke up._

* * *

"_**Check the film. We've been waiting for this, you and I."**_

* * *

Luna woke up with her usual gasp-and-tattoo-sequence, but this time, Past Self's words still rang in her head.

They felt like an omen.

Sure enough, her Camera Obscura was back in her hand, and there was musty film inside to develop.

She stood, wincing against the throb the tattoo had recently started leaving after it disappeared, and headed for the dark room. Naruto was still out cold.

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

Luna bounced in place impatiently, waiting for the photos to develop. What kind of secret was it? Was Past Self just full of it?

Finally, all of them were visible, and she clipped them up to examine them.

"Jeez, she sure did take a lot of pictures..."

Luna sweatdropped; in some of them Past Self was posing with other ghosts. Some even smiled or did goofy poses with her, one of which included Machete Dude walking like an Egyptian and Past Self pretending to play Whack-A-Mole with the Shrine Maidens.

There were a couple of her with the good version of their foster mother, and a few shots of unsuspecting Rei, Miku, and Kei.

A few of Luna, too.

And then there was one. One single photo of Naruto. And in it, his spirit pressure was shown, just like the others. But his was different.

Much different.

See, in the photos of Luna and the others, they had some spirit energy show up on the film. Rei's was a dim blue, shooting out like tiny rays.

Miku's was a light color, flowing in tendrils.

Kei's was a very, very dim red just kind of glimmering.

Her own was a dark sapphire color, with a tint of green. The swirls looked kind of ominous, which was just FANTASTIC.

But Naruto's...It was this bright, bright orange. A massive amount, almost more massive than her own.

And near his stomach, the brightness had little outlines in it. "The hell is that?" She wondered, peering closer at it.

Another photo dropped out from behind it, making her jump and ram her back into the cabinets. "Ow, CRAP!" She hissed, rubbing her back before developing the picture.

It must've stuck together with the other one, because the picture itself was kind of smudged. But she could make out quite clearly what was lurking in Naruto's stomach.

* * *

Luna staggered back in shock, her hands shaking so bad she dropped the stupid picture.

She should've known. It all made sense now. The extreme guilt that led him to the Manor, the huge interest in the nightmares the diaries talked about, the "chemical", why he refused to say anything...

But HE should've known this would happen.

"Hey Luna, you'll never guess what just happened!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran in, slowing to a stop once he processed how completely shocked and upset she was.

"...Loon? What, did Mini-You show up for Round 2 or something?"

She shook her head stiffly, staring at the floor. He finally noticed the picture and bent down to pick it up.

He hadn't even fully stood up before he realized what was on it. "...Why couldn't you just tell me?" She whispered.

Luna didn't even really mean to whisper, but she was lucky her voice was audible at all by this point.

"I wanted to-"

"No you didn't. You didn't. Otherwise you would have, Naruto, I know you." And then, as if it had just now occurred to her, she sucked in a breath in surprise. "You're the kid. Naruto, you're the kid! ...It all fits together now...This _whole time_, it's felt like there was something more to you, something else causing all your spirit energy. I felt like the answer was right in front of me, but I just couldn't put two and two together. Some Agent I am, what clever skills on deduction I possess," she muttered sarcastically.

She shook her head. "So...Humor me. Did you think I wouldn't ever figure it out, or what?"

"Well..."

"Oh, so you thought I would be totally clueless and just let go of the fact that you were hiding something that was OBVIOUSLY major? Or do you just not trust me enough to tell me something that...that _important _to me?"

"Loon, it's not what you think it is, I just..." He moved to touch her, and she jerked away, trembling even harder.

With the look on Naruto's face, you would've thought she had shot him. "...Don't be scared of me...Please.."

Luna huffed, glaring at him. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not _scared_, I just don't want to do something I'll regret later. I can't complete my assignment from a jail cell."

She ran a hand under each eye before walking as fast as possible for the door. "Just leave me alone for a while, alright?"

"Why? If you wanted to know so badly, why're you gonna just ignore me?" He demanded, grabbing her by the arm.

"I'm warning you, let me go before I do something stupid."

"No, c'mon, you wanna know why I kept it from you? That's what you keep saying, 'Why didn't you tell me?'. Now you don't wanna know the whole story? Huh? C'mon, lemme share with you just _what _kind of painful and horrible things I kept from you!" He shouted.

With a frustrated yell, she wrenched herself out of her grip, kicking him in the shin before aiming for his gut with such force that he slid across the floor and into the opposite wall.

"Leave. Me. _Alone_."

She slammed the door behind her, walking past a random ghost (she was too angry to even bother identifying them) and a concerned Rei, who had been about to take a shower when she heard them shouting.

"Luna, is everything-"

"Fine. Just fucking peachy."

* * *

Rei watched her stomp off about halfway down the hall before starting to practically run around the corner and into the room with Yuu's shrine in it.

_Maybe I should leave her alone for a moment...I have some photos to develop anyway._Still ignoring Yoshino, she headed for her dark room.

"Spoil-sport!" Yoshino wailed before fading away, her stomps still audible as she tried to find someone else to attempt to scare.

Rei just sighed and rolled her eyes before opening the door. "Ghosts are so damn _sensitive _around here..." She trailed off as she noticed Naruto rubbing his stomach and muttering to himself.

"Dammit, how the hell was I supposed to tell her? 'Hi, how are _you _this fine morning? Oh, and by the way, I'm currently the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox. You know, the demon that killed your dad and started the chain of events that led up to you murdering the Sasakis? Yeah, that's the one. Want some eggs with that toast?' HELL NO, there IS no way to tell someone that! What does she want me to do, tell her and have her never trust me again?"

He paused, then laughed sarcastically to himself. "Oh wait. Now she doesn't trust me anyway. FRICKING AWESOME!"

Rei cleared her throat, and he froze, leg in mid-air. She reckoned she had just stopped him right before he could completely damage her dark room, making her mentally sigh in relief.

"...Naruto, something tells me you and Luna had a bit of a falling-out."

He sighed and plopped onto the floor, staring at a picture. "Oh. Funny, I figure that, too."

She cautiously approached him before sliding down onto the floor, sitting beside him and peering at the picture.

Rei pointed to the shape of what looked like a demented fox face. "Is that the Nine-Tailed...Thingie you mentioned?"

"You heard that."

"Kind of hard not to."

He sighed again. "...Yeah, that's him. The Nine-Tailed Fox. Douchebag."

"...And THIS is how she found out the creature that killed her dad and all was currently in your stomach," she clarified.

Naruto nodded, and she was the one sighing this time. She shook her head. "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto. You should've told her sooner."

* * *

He groaned. "That's what everyone keeps saying, but what was I supposed to DO? YOU try telling someone that you're the reason their life is so messed up!"

She was about to reply, but then realized what he had said and shook her head slowly. "But...It wasn't _you_, it was the Nine-Tailed Fox...Right?"

He looked down at the picture before tossing it into some random corner with a lot more force than necessary. "Might as well have been me. It's not like HE's gonna feel guilty."

"But _you _do?"

"What the FUCK do you think, Rei?" He snapped.

She shrugged. "I _think_ you should give her some time. I mean, she just found out someone she trusted, maybe even who she considers a close friend, knew this _whole time _about the thing responsible for her 'messed up life'. That's gonna take some getting used to," she pointed out carefully.

Naruto huffed. "I know that already! ...It still sucks." He rubbed the back of his neck. "...I can't get it out of my head. She just looked so...so..._hurt_. Not just hurt, but...Gah! Dammit, I should've told her!"

Rei just nodded and patted his shoulder. "Yeah, you should've."

His temple throbbed. "Thanks for those _wonderful _words of comfort and wisdom, Rei-Rei."

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****HOURS LATER...**_

"...So NOW I find out the demon that killed my dad was actually inside Naruto this whole time, and _he _didn't see that as something I should know!" Luna concluded, throwing up a hand angrily for emphasis.

Yoshino shook her head. "Men these days. And I thought MY life sucked."

Luna nodded. "Your life still sucked. I mean, three days until they found you floating around with all those corpses? No _wonder _you felt so guilty, being the one who miraculously survived while everyone else died."

The ghost huffed and glared at her. "Way to remind me, kid."

She smiled apologetically, uncrossing her legs and shifting so she was sitting sideways and stretched out in her hiding place: the closet in Yuu's Shrine Room, amidst lots and lots of boxes.

"Sorry. You know, Yoshino...Can I call you Yoshi? It rolls off the tongue better."

Yoshino tilted her head in thought before smiling just a little. "I kinda like that! Sure."

"Alright. Well, ANYWAY Yoshi...Quite frankly, I used to think you were a really fricking annoying and psychotic ghost who liked nothing better than to send us all into cardiac arrest every so often in Rei-Rei's house. BUT NOW...I _think _I understand you. You don't want to be here in the first place, do you?"

This time, Yoshi really did grin. "No, I didn't at first. But _now_...I really do like scaring the hell out of everyone. They get so pissed at me, and I can just be all 'Screw you, I can just DISAPPEAR!'...Except Ruri, she always sees me."

Luna chuckled. "Can't say I blame you. I love pissing people off, too."

Yoshi drew her pale long legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "...Luna, is it?"

"Yep."

"You know what I think about this Naruto thing?"

"What?"

"I think you should just forgive the kid. I mean, do you really think you would've liked it any better if he had just told you out of the blue?"

"There were plenty of opportune moments on the subject," she grumbled.

"But still. Can you imagine how...SCARED that kid was to tell you something like that? Probably about as scared as you were when you told him confidential info on your Agency or whatever."

"...Actually, telling someone all that felt pretty damn good," she admitted quietly.

Yoshi sighed exasperatedly. "Just give the guy a break, alright! He screwed up, we all make mistakes."

Her temple throbbed. "Yeah, but usually those mistakes don't involve demons and the key to someone else's past. I just...I feel so..."

Yoshi's eyebrows shot up as Luna paused, as if unsure if she should say, but then just sighed heavily.

"...Betrayed."

* * *

"Betrayed?"

"Betrayed. It's almost like he expected me to never find out, and that the problem would just _go away_. As much as I hate to admit it, I let my emotions win over again this time. After more-or-less spilling my heart out about how miserable I was after I got a phone call from the afterlife...I thought maybe, _just _maybe, he would trust me. Maybe he would return the favor in return for doing something so hard for me. I don't even know _why_, really, but this just makes me feel like he didn't trust me enough to tell me something so important."

She sighed again. "How the hell are we supposed to complete this assignment and protect each other if we don't trust each other? I'll tell you how: we _don't_. We fail. Epically. And Naruto dies. Because we all know _I'm _too _awesome _to die," she added to at least _attempt_ to lighten the mood.

Luna thought Yoshi's grin was at her last statement, but apparently it was a different one entirely. "You know what? I don't think this is about completing your assignment. I think your emotions are still winning over," she informed her in that sneaky tone Sakura always used when making fun of her and Naruto's nonexistent "relationship".

She narrowed her eyes at Yoshi, creepy ghost or not. "...Do explain. Quickly."

She just grinned even bigger. "I think you _care _for him and want to earn his trust. I think you want to protect him because of your _emotions _towards him. THAT'S what I think bothers you so much about him not telling you. Because you want to know _he _wants to protect you too."

Luna scowled at her bare feet. "And _I _think the afterlife has made you completely bonkers."

Yoshi giggled; that's right, the ghost GIGGLED. "Lu-naaaa...Isn't that how he whines at you lately? Luuuu-naaaaa, you know I'm right! Lu-naaa!"

"SHUT UP, before someone figures out where I am!" Luna hissed.

"But Lu-naaaa, you know I'm right! Come on! Admit it Lu-naaaa! You care for him, and you know it! Come on, say it! Say it Lu-naaaa, or I'll get _louder_!"

"But it is not true, I have no such emotion. In fact, the only emotion I might feel around Naruto Uzumaki is extreme annoyance, and the ever-occasional nausea," she insisted matter-of-factly.

"But Lu-naaaa, you're talking all formal! Isn't that what he tells you too? Come on, Lu-naaa, SAY IT!"

"NO!"

"YES, LU-NAAAA, OR I WILL GET EVEN _LOUDER_!" Yoshino squealed before giggling and shouting "Lu-NAAAA" over and over.

"FINE FINE FINE FINE _FINE_! YES, UNFORTUNATELY YOU'RE RIGHT! I CARE ABOUT THE FATE OF NARUTO UZUMAKI IN MORE THAN AN 'I-WANT-TO-FINISH-THIS-ASSIGNMENT-AND-HURRY-ON-HOME' WAY!" Luna finally shouted, panting angrily.

And of course, OF COURSE, who should open the closet door but Naruto and Kei.

* * *

Both spazzed out at the sight of Yoshino in the closet with her, and Naruto pointed at Luna spastically.

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE PISSED AT ME DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO GO AND PISS OFF SOME GHOSTS! ARE YOU _SUICIDAL_?"

Everyone clapped their hands over their ears, and Luna turned bright red. She was pretty sure she even had steam coming out of her now-uncovered ears.

Naruto then remembered what he had just heard her scream out, and a sneaky grin spread onto his face, which he turned towards Kei.

"You hear _that_, Ky? You may have been the boy next door, but I'm the _man_. The MANLY MAN! WHOO-HOO, I _FINALLY _GAINED THE LEAD!" He exclaimed, pumping his fist triumphantly.

Kei just looked totally lost, question marks popping up all around his head, and Yoshi giggled before sliding out of the closet and dancing around Kei, pulling him along.

"Come on, Mr. Amakura, let's leave these two awkward teenagers alone," she trilled, her giggles echoing around the room.

The two aforementioned teenagers sweatdropped as she left. "...Well. She's awfully _bubbly _today," Naruto commented brightly.

* * *

He then turned to look at her, grinning like an idiot. "Now, WHAT was that you screamed? I believe it was you saying...YOU CARE ABOUT ME! OH YEAH, _THAT'S _RIGHT! LU-NAAAAA, YOU _CARE_!" He teased, making her temple throb more and more by the second.

He kept on going on about it, and she finally punched him in the gut. And she felt very justified, not to mention more energized, as he groaned and held his stomach.

"Don't be so smug, _idiot_, it's not like I proclaimed my undying love for you or anything," she growled.

"Gah! Love hurts!"

"WHAT DID I _JUST _SAY?"

"I'm sorry, what? Your _love proclamation _is still ringing in my ears, so I CAN'T _HEAR _YOU!" He shouted in a sing-song voice.

"Your singing voice is the worst sound I have EVER heard. And I've heard walruses die slow and painful deaths," she informed him before stomping out.

He just laughed as he flash-stepped right in front of her, making her huff rather angrily. "Aw, c'mon, you know you want me."

"Yes, Naruto, I want you. DEAD, that is."

He rolled his eyes before plopping his elbow onto her head and purposely messing up her hair. "Ahhh, you're the perfect height, my little spitfire. So does this mean I can sleep with my eyes closed tonight, or is there a chance you'll still kill me?"

"You may never know," she said dangerously.

Unfortunately, this just made him laugh, and she sighed heavily in defeat. He had a nice laugh.

"Awww, did ya hear that? He called her HIS little spitfire!"

"SHUT UP YOSHINO!" They both shouted.


	26. Lists, Sumo Wrestlers, And Lots of Neon

****

Finally back! I decided that due to reviews and PMs people were liking the comic relief and ultimate aww-ness of the Naruto and Luna fluff, so i decided to bring a little back.

**Enjoy, and PLEASE, for the love of sugar, REVIEW! It would make my sucky first week of school a ton better if you could just review.**

**I promise, it won't kill you. **

**SO REVIEW, DANGIT!**

**...That is all...**

* * *

It was really quite...peaceful. Weird, it being peaceful in Rei's house. But it was.

Luna was curled up in her blanket on the couch, arm tucked under the pillow, the side of her face facing the sliding-glass doors looking out towards the garden, curtains currently drawn against the dreary rain.

Nothing but the sound of Naruto's snoring and the occasional bangs Yoshi was making to try and...as she so poetically put it..."scare you into that Naruto guy's arms".

So far, it was not working.

"...Hey, Luna," Naruto suddenly said, sliding right in front of her face, wide awake.

She jumped backwards so bad she almost flipped the whole couch over, and glared at him as he started laughing like an idiot.

Luna slowly slid back into her original position and intensified her glare. "...YES, Naruto? I thought you were asleep!"

"Nope, I've been awake this whole time."

"Then why did I hear snoring?"

He sweatdropped. "Just because you hear snoring, DOESN'T mean it's automatically me. Jeez, I thought you would be able to tell whose voice was whose by listening to the wall vibration, or something equally impressive. Y'know, being an Agent and all."

Her temple throbbed. "Moving on. What?"

"I can't sleep."

"I can. Please let me get right back to doing that."

"No no no NO. If I'm not able to go to sleep, YOU'RE not able to go to sleep."

Luna sweatdropped. "That...is _totally_ illogical."

"YOUR MOM is totally illogical!"

"What makes you say that? We don't know her well enough to make such an inference, Naruto."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's a joke, Luna. Y'know, joke? Those funny phrases that make people laugh?"

"Oh, you mean that skill you happen to be horribly lacking?" She replied sweetly. He glared at her, temple throbbing, before yanking the covers off her, making her spiral out of them and faceplant onto the floor.

He had hopped up just in time and was now crouched on the couch, laughing his ass off. "The face-down look's good for ya, you should do it more often!"

* * *

"Naruto, DON'T make me-" She cut herself off as he continued in his thoughtful tone, the one that usually ended up with him saying something stupid, or funny, or stupidly funny.

"...You KNOW...Actually, that IS a good look for you...Less talking, more of a view of your legs...and your ass, too...You really SHOULD recreate this whole scene more often!"

_**WHACK**_!

"OW! Dammit, Loon, that was a COMPLIMENT!"

"You staring at my body is NOT complimentary, NOR is it pleasing. It's quite creepy."

He grinned, throwing the pillow back at her. "Lu-naaaa, you're going all formal again. THAT means you're SO enjoying my comments about your rocking bod."

"No I am not!"

"Yes you are, you pretty little liar!"

"NARUTO, WATCH IT! I AM NOT A LIAR, NOR AM I LITTLE!"

"What're you gonna do about it, start a pillow fight?"

_**WHACK! DOOOOONG!**_

"Dammit, let's stick with the pillow!" He said with a groan as he set the random gong on the ground out of his way, rubbing his head tenderly.

* * *

She smirked triumphantly, and Naruto simply grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up into a standing position. "C'mon, I can't sleep, let's go do something."

"Just because YOU can't sleep doesn't mean you have to make ME suffer too," she muttered. But she stayed standing anyways, sighing heavily. "Lemme at least stretch first!" She whined as he pulled her to some unknown destination.

Naruto rolled his eyes and let go of her. "Jeez, you're so demanding."

"Yes, yes I am," she said in her Stretching Voice as she linked her fingers together and stretched towards the ceiling.

Luna gave Naruto a weird look as she popped her knuckles. "..What's with that extremely perverted look on your face?"

He just shook his head quickly. "You DO know that when you stretch like that, you're not JUST stretching your arms, right?"

_**BAM!**_

"Ow! WHY DOES YOUR FIST HURT SO MUCH?"

"BECAUSE I MEAN IT TO!"

"SHUT UP!" Kei and Miku bellowed from upstairs, and they both covered their mouths quickly with their hands until the snoring kicked back up again.

"Ky-y-yy snooo-ooreees!" Naruto teased in a sing-song voice as he led them to Rei's front door.

"Sooo do-ooes Miiii-kuuuu, which girls aren't supposed to do-oo," she replied like the mature young adult she was.

He threw one of Miku's jackets at her head, which she caught with ease, much to his disappointment. "C'mon, Luna, hurry up!"

"Where're we going?" She asked, her voice sounding kind of jerky since he was dragging her out the door.

"OUT." _**SLAM.**_

* * *

"...Out? THAT'S your answer? Out. Very descriptive, Naruto, thanks," she replied as they walked down the driveway, the rain not even phasing them.

"SOMEONE'S in a grumpy mood."

"Of course I am, jerkface, you won't let me sleep!"

"No one's keeping you from sleeping, Lu-naaa, you just _wanted _to come with me."

"D-Did NOT!"

"Either that or you're a pushover," he said casually, walking ahead so he could smirk all smug-like as she stomped after him growling, "NEITHER, Naruto Uzumaki. I do not enjoy your company at this hour, and I am NOT a pushover."

"Uh-huh."

"I'M NOT!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez, keep it down, before they arrest us for disturbing the peace."

Luna huffed and stuffed her hands in the jacket pockets, easily catching up with him, which made him grin.

"See? You enjoy my company _just _fine."

_**BAM!**_

"DAMMIT, LUNA, WHAT IF A CAR WAS COMING? KNOCKING ME INTO THE STREET LIKE THAT...!"

"SHUT UP, YOU'RE DISTURBING THE PEACE!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWENTY-FOUR ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"Naruto, I do believe you've gotten us lost. AGAIN."

"ME? You're the one who's supposedly been here before!"

"Only once, and I was there for less than two days. Because SOMEBODY followed me and made my life a whole lot more difficult than it already was. REMEMBER?"

He cringed and laughed nervously. "Aw...C'mon, Luna, you know ya love me!"

"You. Wish."

"When yoooou wish uuupooon a staaar-"

_**BANG!**_ "SHUT UP, ENOUGH WITH THE SINGING!"

"Luna, WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS, the mailboxes are supposed to stay IN the ground, not ON my head and/or face!"

She shrugged innocently. "I forgot."

"Uh-huh."

"I did!"

"Suuure, whatever you say."

"Naruto, don't use that tone with me!"

"Yes MOTHER."

"Why you little-"

"Whooooooaaaa," he said slowly, eyes widening at something behind her. She was currently walking backwards to look at him, and turned around agitatedly to see what DARED interrupt their argument.

Her eyes promptly widened to the size of saucers as they both gaped in amazement at the sight before them.

* * *

They were in the middle of a street, on top of a hill, and laying out in front of them was a massive city of flashing lights and lots of cars whizzing past. It was even more impressive since the rain seemed to only hang around near Rei's house, among the surrounding city, but here it was completely dry and slightly chilly.

Speaking of whizzing, Naruto was the first to realize they WERE standing in the middle of the road, and pulled her by the elbow to the sidewalk right before a car zoomed by where they had been standing.

Luna looked at it all in wonder before slowly shaking herself. "This must be the, uh...the...Shibuya District. It's in Western Tokyo," she explained absentmindedly.

Naruto looked at her strangely. "You alright over there?"

A slow grin spread onto her face. "I've never been able to explore a city on my own before. It's always been for missions, during which I have to be so focused that...I just don't find the time to enjoy the scenery. This is so...odd. I LOVE IT!" She announced as she broke out into a skip.

"Hey, wait up!"

She sighed impatiently and ran back to grab him by his jacket, dragging him along as she frolicked towards the bright lights.

"NA-RU-TOOOO, LET'S GOOOOO!"

"Hey, that rhymes!"

She abruptly stopped, making him lurch forward and roll halfway down the hill spastically. "...You're right, it does! Naruto, you're a genius!"

"IF I'M SUCH A GENIUS, WHY'RE YOU LETTING ME ROLL AND PLUMMET TO MY DEATH?"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE **__**MINUTES **__**LATER**__**...**_

She peered down at him as he glared up at her happy face. "...I knew you'd stop," she said simply as she pulled him up and pulled him along, weaving in and out of people's way and continually saying "Excuse me" in Japanese.

He sweatdropped. "Just listening to you is making me exhausted."

"Well, too bad, there's no way we're going to bed NOW!"

"I said I was exhausted, not that I wanted to go to bed! Jeez, listen once in a while!"

"No need to get snippy, Naruto." He simply sighed and let her drag him along, watching in annoyance and slight amusement as she kept stopping and changing directions randomly to look at the simplest things.

Things that even HE had seen around here when he went with Miku to go research stuff. ...She ended up doing all the research, while he tried to get something out of a vending machine, only to try a low-powered Rasengan and blow the whole thing to bits.

They were promptly kicked off campus.

Of course, he would never tell LUNA that, because she'd never let him live it down. Stupid Luna.

Finally, after almost losing her in the crowd, he waited until she dragged them over to look at a neon-trimmed restroom sign before shrugging out of her grip. He then gripped her hand, making her glare at him.

Naruto knew she'd do that, and before she could even protest, he held up his other hand. "Chill out, chill out. I don't wanna have to chase you down Tokyo, I almost lost ya back there."

She stared at him and the sign for a really long time before sighing and stomping over to a water fountain. "You make it seem like I'm your child, and you're my mother, Naruto."

His temple throbbed, and he simply squeezed her hand rather tightly. "OW!"

"Respect your elders, Luna!"

* * *

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN MY BIRTHDAY IS, YOU JERK!"

"When is it?"

"...I'm not telling you, so NEH," she said before sticking out her tongue.

He peered at her real closely, making the base of her neck turn a little red. She always did that when she was nervous or under pressure.

"...You're a December, I just know it."

"Holy crap, how'd you know that?"

"I read in the back of one of Sakura's mangas that a December woman is usually really feisty, beautiful, and fun."

She nodded, and a slow grin spread across her face. "You think I'm feisty, beautiful, and fun, eh?"

"N-NO, THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK SAID! AND THEN SAKURA SAID 'OOOH, LUNA MUST BE A DECEMBER'!" He shrieked defensively, mocking Sakura's voice in a rather high and girly manner.

Luna just laughed and shook her head, dragging him along some more. "Whatever, let's just keep going!"

* * *

They must've gone through all of Western Tokyo, and maybe some of Northern Tokyo, and quite frankly Naruto was exhausted.

So it figured that Luna was as hyper as ever, still running in spastic directions to look at shiny or strange objects.

She even struck up a thirty-minute conversation with some random hobo and a Gothic Lolita. Naruto DID score that Lolita's number, though, so the night wasn't too bad.

Luna was currently walking around singing at the top of her lungs, twirling around every once in a while.

"Jeez, and I thought you were OVER your concussion," Naruto muttered.

She simply twirled around to look at him while walking backwards, halting her admittedly good performance of "Rhinestone Eyes" by the Gorillaz. "Guess where we are?"

"Where."

Luna pouted. "You didn't even guess!"

"Tokyo?"

"DUUHHH. Idiot."

He huffed. "I dunno, just tell me already!"

"FINE! ...Since I'm all-knowing and all. We're in..." She paused and made a drumroll sound for dramatic effect before saying with a symbol noise afterward, "SHINJUKU GYOEN!".

He sweatdropped. "...Alrighty then."

* * *

Luna smirked. "I think you should take Miku here or something."

"Why is that?"

"Be-CAUSE, it's the ultimate place to score! I mean, look over there!" She exclaimed, pointing to a couple making out on a secluded bench.

He spazzed out and pulled her away from them, running around the corner. "Lu-NAA, you're not supposed to LOOK at them!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're _not_!"

"...Well, _that's _stupid." She paused, then grinned. "You can let go of my hand at any time."

"Yeah right, like I'm gonna let go of your hand."

She smiled innocently. "Jeez, Naruto, you just can't make up your mind, can you? Miku, me, Miku...Your brain MUST be tired from all that exercise."

"I just don't wanna have to deal with you crying like a little kid when you fall and hurt yourself," he muttered, temple throbbing.

She rolled her eyes before jumping down, running to the right, and plopping down on the riverbank.

"Luna, what the hell're you doing?" He asked dully.

She waved him off, not even looking in his direction. "You can go on back, I'm just gonna sit here for a while."

Naruto sweatdropped. "You don't know the way back."

"I know it better than you."

"Doubt it, I've been here before."

"WHEN?"

"With Miku, at the library."

"You READ? Hahahahaha!"

"I didn't read _much_...but that's besides the point!" He yelled as he stomped over and plopped down beside her.

* * *

Luna groaned and blew the bangs out of her right eye. "Did you ever think that when a girl says 'I'll be fine, go on without me' she actually MEANS it?"

"Just shut up! If you wanted to look at the view so damn bad, VIEW IT."

"I WILL."

"GOOD!"

"GOOD!"

"FINE!"

She didn't reply, doing what she said she would and viewing the view. After a few moments, she drew her knees up to her middle, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Ya know, I've never really seen such a vast body of water in person."

"Ever? In all your missions?"

"Nope. Ever. It really sucks," she said with a half-laugh.

She pretended not to notice as one of his arms, both of which he was propping himself up with, moved closer behind her, almost wrapping around her.

She also pretended she wasn't leaning into it.

"Hey. Loon?"

"Hmm?"

"About the Nine-Tails...You're not mad at me, are you?"

Luna glanced at him before shrugging. "Of course I am. I'm always mad at you. But I forgive you, if that's what you mean."

"There's a difference?"

"Of course there is! A huge one."

"Do explain."

"You can be mad at someone and still forgive them. Just because you've moved on mentally, doesn't mean you've moved on emotionally. Wounds take a while to heal up."

"I wounded you?" He asked carefully, as if she had just wounded HIM.

Luna sighed impatiently. "Naruto, I've been wounded so many times, it's just normal for me. Trust me, I forgive you."

"But-..."

"But what?" She asked, completely curious and looking at him full-on now.

He picked at the grass with the hand that wasn't currently inching closer and closer to her waist. Which she ALSO pretended not to notice.

"It shouldn't be normal for you. I don't want it to be."

* * *

Luna sighed. "Well, it is. So get used to it. It can't be helped, what's done is done."

There was a silence before he abruptly moved to crouch in front of her, planting his hands on her drawn-up knees sternly.

"Then I'll be sure not to be added to the list of injury-causers from now on. Seeing you cry is probably one of the worst things I've ever seen, just so you know."

She sweatdropped. "...Why? ...Do I look especially ugly or something? I mean...when I cry, which is rarely...my nose tends to turn red, and I get rather sniffly-"

"No no no, _that's _not it! It's just...not..._pleasant_. So don't do it _ever _again," he commanded, that determined look of his on his face.

Luna made a defensive noise. "ALRIGHT, alright! Jeez. You can be so scary sometimes, all demanding like a drill sergeant."

Naruto rolled his eyes, Luna closed hers to stretch and yawn, and when she opened them again he was still there.

He was staring at her like he was trying to figure out some really complicated math problem.

"...I hate it when people look at me like that," she muttered. She got enough of that at the Agency.

Naruto paled and looked away abruptly. "Oh...Sorry, I just kinda spaced out for a minute."

"I can tell. Mind getting your hands off my knees now?"

He smirked mischievously. "But it's obviously bothering you! Why would I quit doing what I do best?"

"Be a pervert?"

"Noooope." He leaned in until his face was mere inches from hers before turning towards her ear an whispering "Driving you absolutely CRAZY and kicking your raging hormones into gear."

* * *

Luna glared at him, grabbing him by the shirt collar and keeping him right in front of her. "Naruto Uzumaki, you don't know the MEANING of the word 'raging hormones' until you've seen me flirt. I suggest you quit while you're behind."

"You haven't seen ME flirt."

"Then whaddaya call all this?"

"A warm-up."

"I'll show YOU warming up," she growled.

They had a stare-off for a few minutes, during which Luna slowly let go of him. He didn't move. Well, move AWAY anyway. He was, however, leaning a little closer (if that was possible).

It took Luna a minute to realize she was leaning just as much as him in the first place. The damn Agency flashed into her head, and she realized what she was about to let happen, causing her to abruptly stand up and turn away while sucking in a breath.

Naruto promptly fell forward and landed right on his face. "...It's only a few hours before morning, we should probably start heading back," she said quietly.

He stood up, brushing himself off while muttering a string of swears under his breath. "...Yeah, you're probably right."

* * *

As they walked back, Luna got colder and colder, sneezing every thirty seconds. Finally, Naruto let out a frustrated groan and threw his jacket at her.

"HERE! Take the damn thing! You _obviously _need it more than I do!"

She glared at him, temple throbbing. "Naruto, there is no way in _hell _I'm wearing this."

"Why not?" He asked defensively.

She huffed as if he were missing something obvious. "Be-CAUSE, the GIRLFRIENDS are supposed to wear their guy's jacket. I am obviously not your girlfriend, and you are CLEARLY not 'my guy'."

"Nice air quotes."

"Thanks!"

"May I remind you that as far as Konoha and the Agency's concerned, you ARE my...though it makes me shudder just saying it...my girlfriend. And you're shivering. So stop being so stubborn and just put it on! Unless...you're too much of a BABY to do it..."

She immediately slipped it on, stuffing her hands in the pockets and stomping to catch up with him.

He smirked. "Well, look at that. You actually LISTENED to me!"

Luna turned her nose up defiantly at him before running ahead. "Only because I know I can wear it better than you EVER could!"

He ran after her before catching up and grinning. "Well, I can't exactly disagree with that."

She turned a little red despite herself, but come on, the way his eyes were roaming up and down on her, she had no CHOICE but to blush at how perverted his mind was!

"Awww, look! Luu-naaaa's bluuuush-ing! Luu-naaaa's bluuuush-ing!"

As if on cue, a sumo wrestler ran by chasing a midget man dressed up as a geisha. "I WANT MY MONEY BACK, TINY DEVIL MAN!" He bellowed.

"NOT ON YOUR DAMN LIFE!" The midget shouted back.

The two angry men continued to run through crowds, speaking quick bursts of harsh Japanese definitely not meant for young audiences. The two teens sweatdropped.

"...Time to go home, Luna."

"I kinda figured."


	27. Unaccompanied Minors

**Well, I'm back! Thanks...for the...reviews. The rare reviews.**

**C'mon, people!**

**Well, anyways. There're only about five or six chapps left for the Crossover, if that, so I decided to do a little something extra. I've already been asked a few questions throughout the fic, so I decided to do a little Q & A Session. It'll be either after the end of the fic, or during, maybe in the pre-author's-note, depending on how many I have before I post each chapp from this point on.**

**You can ask me anything about this fic, Fatal Frame, any of the characters (Fatal Frame's, Naruto's, and The Agency's), or about the Naruto fic "I Hate You, My Friend", which I WILL be continuing after this fic's over (of course!). **

**You can ask in a review or a PM, it can be anonymous or whatever, i really don't care either way. If you want your name mentioned, just say so, otherwise I'll probably just state the Q and answer it. **

**That's all I've got for ya, enjoy the chapp!**

* * *

"Luuu-na?" He called out from way behind.

"Naaa-ruto?" She replied with mock sweetness.

"Wait for me!"

"Ya know...If you were a man...a MANLY MAN...I wouldn't NEED to wait for you," she informed him with a smirk, wondering how long it would take for him to catch up in his half-asleep state.

Suddenly, he appeared right in front of her, making her jump and stumble with a high-pitched shout.

Naruto laughed mischievously as she stood and glared at him. "...Well, ya caught up with me. NOW what do you want?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I just wanted to annoy you."

Luna sighed, temple throbbing. "And yet...This STILL surprises me every time."

"That's 'cause you're a dumbass."

"Am NOT!"

"Are SO!"

Luna was about to argue, but just sighed and shook her head. "Forget it." He gave her a look as if she had just bitten him. "...You're...You're not gonna fight with me?" He asked in disbelief.

"Nope."

"..." He then proceeded to roll around on the ground, pitching a total fit.

* * *

"WHAAAAAT? No no no no NOOOO! THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO GOOO! Lu-naaa, don't you know ANYTHING? We're supposed to argue, and I'm supposed to get on your very last nerve, and you're gonna get all pissy, and you're gonna scrunch your nose up all cute-like while you're yelling at me, and then you'll hit me, and then I just might hit you, AND THEN WE ALL GO HOME HAPPY! ...BUT NO! YOU RUINED IT! HOW COULD YOU, YOU MOOOONSTER!"

Luna sweatdropped and simply kept walking.

"...Idiot."

"SEE? Just like that, JUST LIKE THAT, only with more ANGER. Aaaaand...ACTION!"

_**BAM!**_

"Ow!"

"HOW'S THAT FOR ANGER?"

He beamed while rubbing his side, running to catch up with her. "Pretty good! Not your best, but it was still pretty good. Now NEXT time, why don't ya try-"

She whipped out her gun and cocked it, aiming for his arm. "Naruto, one more word, and I'm shooting."

He gulped and laughed nervously until she finally put it away, growling under her breath.

"...Luna?"

"WHAT."

"You really do look kinda good in my jacket," he informed her with a yawn.

* * *

Luna sighed and shook her head. "You MUST be tired."

"Yes, yes I am."

"Otherwise you wouldn't be kissing up so obviously."

"Probably not."

"Fantastic."

"I'm surprised you're not in worse shape than me by now, seeing as you were _sooooo tiiiired_when I dragged you off the couch," he commented, mocking her voice in a rather girly tone.

Luna stopped abruptly to smile at him. "ACTUALLY, now that you mention it, I am...a BIT tired. Naruto, do you think you could give me a ride?"

His temple throbbed as he stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at her. "...WHAT did you just ask me?"

"If I could-"

"ME? Give YOU a ride? IN _MY_ CURRENT STATE?"

"My feet hurt," she protested in a whiny voice.

Of course, HIS whiny voice totally topped hers as he proceeded to stomp his feet as he ran around her in circles and pitched another fit.

"HOW do you expect me to carry YOU when I'm so obviously _TIIIIRED_? LU-NAAAA, HAVE YOU NO _DECENCY_? _FIRST_ YOU DON'T ARGUE WITH ME, THEN YOU DEMAND A _RIDE_? THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU? If you want a ride so damn bad, how come KY never gives you a ride? Oh, wait, WHY NOT JUST USE NARUTO, YOUR HUMAN PACK-MULE NINJA? GREAT IDEA!"

Luna watched with a sweatdrop as he proceeded to drop to the ground and roll some more.

"Ky the College-Going Wonder! ALWAYS so awesome! But NARUTO...I mean, c'mon! Did KY get a kiss on the cheek? Did KY get to rub your thighs? Did KY ever get ANYWHERE with you? Did KY ever see ya naked in a hot spring? Did KY ever do AAAA-NNNNYYYYY-THIIINNG worth his time?"

"Naruto-"

"NO! The correct answer's NOOOOO, he DIDN'T! But NARUTO did! NARUTO GOT ALL THOSE THINGS! But do you give NAAAARUTO any extra attention these days? Hell to the NO! He only gets attention when it's CONVENIENT FOR YOU! GUYS HAVE FEELINGS TOO-OOO-OOO-OOOOOOO!" He wailed, pounding his fists against the pavement, which he had his face against as he blubbered like an idiot.

Luna sweatdropped.

"So...Is that a...a yes?"

"Sure, why not."

* * *

"NARUTO, YOU- ...Ugh, I'm not _even_ gonna go there," she muttered as he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder with ease.

"That's probably best, before I drop you on your head," he muttered.

Luna rolled her eyes. "You don't just exist when it's convenient, you dolt."

"Then how come KY-"

"KEI is the exact opposite of you. He's mature...ish, he's smart, he's calm, he's gentle, he's...everything you're not, really," she informed him casually.

Naruto jostled her, making her smack the back of his head. "I'M NOT DONE!" She yelled.

"This better be good, or your head's gonna suffer for it."

"LEMME FINISH."

"FINE then!"

"...Kei's everything you're not. Unfortunately, that also means he's nothing like _you_."

* * *

She had enough time to yawn, stretch, switch positions, and scratch her hand before he completely understood what she had just said.

"...Awwww, Luuu-naaa, you said something NICE about me!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Well, OBVIOUSLY you feel SOMETHING towards me!"

"And what makes you think THAT, pray tell?"

"Because you haven't smacked my hand away," he replied smugly. He must've been referring to the one almost right on top of her ass.

"That's because you're carrying me, you're exhausted, I'm exhausted, and neither of us are thinking clearly. Therefore, I will do anything within my power to keep you from dropping me on my head."

"AAAAANYTHING?"

"...Naruto, don't you dare- GET YOUR HAND OFF BEFORE I SHOOT IT!"

"BUT YOU _JUST_ SAID-"

"FORGET WHAT I SAID, THAT WAS A DUMBASS MOVE ON MY PART, DAMMIT!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****HOURS LATER...**_

Rei awoke with a gasp, the Tattoo spreading as usual. "Where...were Luna and Naruto?" She wondered.

They were always in the dreams, whether they were with her or Miku or Kei. Always. Did something happen to them overnight?

With her imagination running wild at that thought, she practically flew out of her bed and down the hall, running into Miku as she was walking back to her room.

"Miku! Have you seen Luna or Naruto around this morning?" She asked quickly. Miku looked a bit flustered with her obvious franticness, and shook her head slowly.

"Now that you mention it...No, I haven't. They're not on the couch, anyways."

"They weren't in my dream last night, either," Rei replied thoughtfully. They both shook their heads sadly, and then Miku shook herself and continued walking towards her room.

"Weeeell, I'm just gonna go get dressed and then I'm off to research those photos for you. Hope you find them!"

Rei sweatdropped as she shut the door before continuing down the hallway. "...She's so torn up about this."

_**KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.**_

Her eyes widened, and she bounded down the stairs, taking them two at a time. She skidded around the kitchen and flung open the door to the rest of the house.

That's when she could hear the sirens. Fearing the worst, she wrenched to door open after fiddling with the deadbolt...and sweatdropped.

There was a police car in her driveway, and in front of her stood a rather annoyed-looking police man.

He had Luna and Naruto by the ears, and they were currently hissing "Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!".

"...I believe these two belong to you, Miss."

* * *

Rei's eyes were the size of saucers at this point. "What on Earth did they DO?"

"We caught them about fifty-four miles from here. Got a call about a blond teenage boy and redheaded teenage girl disturbing the peace with their constant shouting. Found her chasing him down the street and swinging a mailbox post, threatening to 'beat him to a pulp' and 'shoot him dead' for 'attempting to tarnish her innocence and purity'?"

Rei's temple throbbed, and Luna and Naruto laughed nervously, making the cop squeeze their ears harder.

They promptly had their own little spastic seizures as they attempted to move into positions that would lessen the pain. "OWWW! REI-REI, MAKE HIM STOP!"

"Can I keep those handcuffs?" Rei asked dully, making their temples throb as the cop simply chuckled. "No problem. You _just might _need 'em. I nearly shot them myself on the way here. Had to pull over and make HIM sit in the front, which just made their fight turn into a shouting match..."

"Are we having charges pressed against us?" Naruto asked in a rather panicky voice. Luna's temple throbbed.

"Naruto, not only are we _minors_, but we only committed a _minor _offence. In this case, we'd only get basically a slap on the wrist and a 'Never do it again' speech."

Rei's eye twitched menacingly. "That's all you're getting from the OFFICER. From me, however, you're gonna get a day in HELL."

They gasped and started fiddling with their handcuffs, which made the policeman laugh and shake Rei's hand. "Now _that's _what I call good parenting. Well, the little one's right. We're not pressing any charges against them, but if I catch these two breaking curfew AND the law again..."

"HEY! SIR, I AM NOT _LITTLE_!"

"Luna, face it, you're shorter and thinner than the rest of us."

"SHUT UP NARUTO! THIS DOES _NOT _CONCERN YOU!"

"Ya know, most girls would KILL to be shorter and skinnier than me and Rei-Rei."

Luna huffed, trying to wriggle out of the handcuffs. "I don't see why. The only thing it's gotten me is a battle with a woman under the floor, in which I got my camera stolen and almost lost my life as well."

The police man just sweatdropped and shook his head, while Rei ignored the whole conversation and nodded understandingly at his earlier statement. "I guess murder's out of the question, you two got lucky," she informed them.

Luna turned dangerously pale, and Naruto was shaking like a leaf. "PLE-E-EASE FORGIVE US, REI-REI!"

The cop laughed again and tipped his hat, tossing Rei the keys to the handcuffs. "Have a good day!"

With that, he drove off, leaving the two to fend for themselves.

* * *

"...Luna?"

"Yes?"

"Is Rei suffering from PMS right now?"

"How the heck should I know?" She snapped, and Rei just laughed impishly. "You WISH. I'm just pissed off. What the hell's the MATTER with you two?"

"It was NARUTO'S fault, he couldn't sleep!"

"You didn't HAVE to come with me!"

"Yes I did, that's the whole point of my assignment, idiot!"

"...Oh yeeeeahh! I forgot about that!"

"...Naruto...I know you're a moron, but how could you _possibly _forget the whole reason I'm _here_?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, you're just...there. I forgot there was a REASON you became my friend."

Rei sweatdropped, and Naruto sweatdropped too as Luna suddenly turned even paler. "...I came THIS CLOSE to getting a criminal offence...The Agency would've KILLED ME!"

And with that, she promptly fainted.

They both winced at how hard she hit the ground, and Rei sweatdropped again. "...You know what the sad thing is? I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say to her, Naruto."

He drooped. "Yeah, I know, and it went right over her head. I NEVER GET ANY BENEFITS!"

Rei watched on as he threw another fit, then sighed and attempted to revive Luna.


	28. Handcuffs, Honeymoons, And Lo Mein

**Well, I'm back! Thanks for being bold enough to review, those newbies who did.**

**Maybe you'll make more people review per chapp, it'd be a lot more encouraging if they did. Lets me know I'm not writing for no reason.**

**Although...Just writing this for myself is fun enough XD**

**It's just always good to know all this hard work is appreciated! =D**

**Well, anyways. Enjoy!**

* * *

Once Luna was revived, she bounced on her heels impatiently while Rei took the handcuffs off of Naruto, then her.

She ran into the house and grabbed her cell phone. "Excuse me, but I have to make a phone ca-...Rei, what're you doing?" She asked carefully at the ominous look about Rei-Rei.

She was swinging the handcuffs casually, striding towards them like a panther stalking its prey. "Ohhh, _nothing_..."

Naruto and Luna exchanged a strange look, and that's when she sprung into action. Rei handcuffed Naruto's wrist with one cuff, then attached the other cuff to Luna's wrist.

She tightened them as tightly as possible, and they both went "Ow ow ow ow ow ow _owwww_!"

Rei-Rei then stepped back to admire her handiwork, nodding with satisfaction. "There. That'll teach you."

They both started struggling in opposite directions. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Luna screeched.

"I HAVE TO PEE!" Naruto shouted.

They made grunting noises as they tried to pull apart the cuffs, before finally giving up and making themselves fall flat on their asses.

Rei crossed her arms. "If you two can't learn to get along, the handcuffs stay on. They're staying on for AT LEAST the rest of the day, until you guys learn to control yourselves. That means no more messing with Luna's 'purity', whatever that means, and no more beating Naruto with mailboxes."

"HE TRIED TO GROPE ME!" Luna exclaimed.

"YOU SAID I COULD DO ANYTHING AS LONG AS I DIDN'T DROP YOU ON YOUR HEAD!"

Rei's right eye twitched in annoyance, and she sighed and shook her head. "You'll just have to learn to choose your words correctly, Luna. Naruto, don't grope her near mailboxes. And BOTH OF YOU need to learn to ACT YOUR AGE and stop trying to KILL EACH OTHER every time I turn around!"

She panted angrily before clearing her throat and making herself look taller. "Now...Have we reached an understanding?"

They looked at their feet guiltily. "Yeeees, Rei-Reeeiii..."

"Good! Now, Luna, I believe you had a phone call to make? You can do that while Naruto takes care of his business."

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish before screaming out in agony, "WHHHHHYYYYY?"

"LU-NAAAA, I REALLY GOTTA USE IT!"

Naruto ended up standing up and dragging her up the stairs, every step giving her a new bruise, and she did NOT go quietly.

Rei just stayed downstairs and calmly sipped her tea that Miku had fixed while Naruto suddenly realized he went the wrong way and dragged her _back _downstairs to go to the bathroom.

"...They'll thank me later."

* * *

"Okay, okay...LUNA DON'T _LOOK_!" He shrieked.

Luna, who was busy groaning and popping her recently-healed finger back into place, gave him a rather evil look as she sat there on the bathroom tile.

"YOU. Hurry up and do your business...Before I make sure you don't have to worry about that ever _again_!" She shouted, forming her good hand into a pair of scissors and snipping the air ominously.

He gulped and started to pull down his pants. Luna turned away spastically and stared at the door.

"You COULD do as Rei-Rei suggested and make that phone call to occupy yourself," Naruto said casually as she tried to ignore the whizzing noise.

Her temple throbbed. "And if they asked what that background noise was? 'Oh, nothing, just Naruto using the bathroom. You see, we're currently handcuffed in order to enhance our social skills.' I DON'T THINK SO."

He shrugged, making her arm shoot up and fall back down stiffly. "Suit yourself."

She sighed and rubbed her sore shoulder. "After we're out of these handcuffs, I really should look into getting a safety for my gun. For your sake."

He gulped again before flushing the toilet and dragging them over to the sink. Luna struggled to her feet, running her finger under cold water and hissing in a breath, gritting her teeth against the pain.

Naruto laughed nervously. "Sorry about that. I reeeeally had to go."

She glared at him. "NO kidding."

He pointed at her accusingly. "See, THERE'S your problem. You're too hostile!"

Luna rolled her eyes and led them out of the bathroom. "I was BROUGHT UP to be hostile. Remember, the whole ASSASSIN thing?"

"Yeah, well...that gives you no right to act like a...a.."

"SAY IT."

"Well, like a brat."

She narrowed her eyes. "That's not what you wanted to say, but I shall pretend it is, for your sake."

"Good idea!"

_**BAM!**_

"OW! DAMMIT, THE WHOLE POINT IS TO _NOT_ USE VIOLENCE TO EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS FOR ME!" Naruto shouted, rubbing his head miserably.

* * *

Luna stuck her nose up defiantly as she led them up the stairs to check out Yuu's room after feeling a spiritual pressence near the attic space there.

"That'll be damn near impossible, considering the only feelings I have for you are a deep loathing, occasional nausea, and the extremely intense need to tackle you to the ground-"

"Oooh, kinky."

_**BAM!**_

"I'M NOT DONE! ...To tackle you to the ground and smother you with a pillow."

He sweatdropped, and she simply held up a finger. "I have some other methods on how to kill you if you'd like to hear them."

"...Perhaps some other time."

They heard the phone ring, and Luna grinned evilly at him, looking at the stairs. He laughed nervously. "No..no...Loon, can't we put the stairs behind us? NO NO NO NO NO- AHHHHHH!"

She bolted down the stairs, dragging him with her, and dashing to answer the phone. "Hello, Kurosawa Residence. This is Luna Sasaki speaking."

Naruto grinned at the proud way she said her last name before pressing his face next to hers to hear the other end of the call. "Quit hogging the phone!" He hissed, then snickered as she turned bright red from their proximity level.

They heard panting on the other end, and banging. "Let me out...let me out!" There was frantic sobbing, then the line went dead.

"I...I...Holy _crap_," was all Luna could say. Naruto dragged her towards the kitchen. "C'mon, hurry up before the tv goes all The Ring on us again!"

As if on cue, Yoshi popped up right in front of them. "Boo."

"AHHHHH!" They yelled, jumping back and falling on their backs. Yoshi giggled. "You might wanna save those handcuffs for the honeymoon."

"SHUT UP YOSHI!"

"YEAH, GO HAUNT A GRAVE OR SOMETHING!" Naruto added.

She pouted and stomped off. "I'll be back, you two!"

"We KNOW," they muttered as they attempted to sit up, looking like wrong-ended turtles.

* * *

Luna sighed and brushed the hair out of her face as they relaxed, finally giving up for the time being. "Ya know...We've got a twat messing with the tv...we've got Yoshi hanging around all the time...we've got some Freddy Krueger Wannabe Bitch scratching up the shower window, watching us while we're naked...we've got prank calls left and right...we've got a Troll Bitch under Rei's bed...It's just kinda like...WHAT THE HECK? ...Ya know?"

Naruto turned his head to the side to stare at her. "When did Freddy and Troll come into all this?"

"Freddy Bitch appeared when Rei was in the shower the night before, and last night Troll Bitch's hand was sticking out from under her bed. It wouldn't go away until she was right beside her bed, and it just slid all slow-like back beneath it as if to say 'I'll catch you next time'. You weren't paying attention when she told us, as usual."

Naruto sweatdropped. "See, if _I _were Rei-Rei, at this point I'd just say 'Screw it, I'm moving house!' But apparently she sees something about this house that I don't."

Luna sweatdropped as well. "Well, gee Naruto. Her and Yuu had their best days in this house. If my fiancee and I had our best days in a house, and he died, I wouldn't be ready to let go of it yet either."

"By fiancee, you mean Ky, right?"

_**BAM!**_

"Ow!"

"SHUT UP ABOUT KY! CAN WE GO WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT KY FOR FIVE DAMN MINUTES?"

Kei happened to be heading for the door as she shouted that, and Luna sweatdropped as he looked wounded. "...You called me Ky...That Naruto brat's nickname is SPREADING..."

Luna sat up to glare at him. "Hey, only _I_ can get away with calling Naruto a brat. Consider this a warning, Kei Amakura."

Naruto grinned triumphantly, sitting up and plopping his elbow on Luna's shoulder. "Consider yourself OWNED, Mr. Amakuuuuuura!"

_**BAM!**_

"OWWWW!"

"Consider YOURSELF owned, Uzumaaaaki," Kei replied before winking at Luna and exiting the room.

Luna giggled despite herself, making Naruto's temple throb. "You little tease."

_**BAM!**_

"WATCH YOURSELF, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****HOURS LATER...**_

Miku, Rei, and Kei barely ate their food as they watched them attempt to eat theirs. Naruto was right-handed, and Luna was left-handed.

Which also happened to be the hands that were cuffed together.

And what did they happen to be eating that night? Noodles.

After their eighth attempt to use their chopsticks, which led to Luna almost poking him in the eye as he made her hand jerk to her left, Rei sighed and took their plates.

"Hey!"

She rolled her eyes at Naruto's Hunger Fury and slid their noodles all onto Luna's plate, setting it between them. "There. NOW eat."

Naruto huffed and twirled some lo mein onto his chopsticks. "Why do we have to use LUNA'S plate?"

The other three rolled their eyes and went back to eating and watching the tv set. Which, of course, never acted up anymore, JUST to make Naruto and Luna look crazy.

The two aforementioned crazies glared at the sides of the older people's heads before going back to eating. After about three minutes of successfully slurping noodles, they were totally contented.

So Luna should've known SOMETHING would happen to disrupt said contentedness.

* * *

They were so busy watching The Stepfather while eating that they weren't paying attention to which noodle they were getting, so it went by unnoticed that they were trying to eat the same noodle.

So they kept right on slurping, and slurping, and Luna noticed it was getting increasingly harder to grab her noodle.

She slurped even harder at the same time he did, and suddenly their mouths ended up pressing together, like magnets or something.

There was a bit of a delayed reaction on both their parts; they were kind of dazed, and it took them a minute to realize they were more-or-less kissing.

"GAH!" They both shrieked, pulling away and spitting out their noodles while trying to get on opposite ends of the couch.

This only ended up making him jerk Luna, who was lighter, right into him. It had a sort of bowling ball effect, in which she was the ball and he was a pin.

Everyone watched with sweatdrops as Luna proceeded to smack the living daylights out of him. "YOU JERKFACE, WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?"

"ME? THAT WAS _ALL _YOU!"

"NU-UH! YOU _KISSED _ME, YOU BASTARD!"

"NO WAY! YOU kissed ME, Loon! I can tell because you're so pissed OFF!"

"I'm PISSED OFF because you KISSED ME!"

Despite being smacked repeatedly, he grinned impishly. "Or maybe you're pissed off because you _liiiiiked _it."

_**BAM! BAM! BANG! SMACK**_!

* * *

"GAH! HELP ME, SHE'S GONE POSTAL!"

"NARUTO UZUMAKI, HOW DARE YOU EVEN _SUGGEST _SUCH A THING! Ugh, the very THOUGHT of kissing you...much less me _liking _it...GREAT, I'M GONNA BE _SICK _NOW, THANKS TO _YOU_!"

"Oh, shut up, you know you liked it!"

"DID NOT!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have kissed me," he said simply, holding her back by planting his hand against her forehead, causing her to swing at nothing but air.

"NARUTOOO, AS SOON AS THESE HANDCUFFS ARE OFF, YOU'RE GONNA BE DEAD MEAT! DEADER THAN THE PORK IN THIS LO MEIN!"

"Oh, you mean the lo mein you SO CLEVERLY used as an excuse to kiss me?"

"RAAAAAHHHHHH!" She screeched as she threw the gong at him, which he somehow managed to dodge, making it hit Kei instead.

"Ow..." He muttered as Miku jumped up. "I'll go get some gauze from the medicine cabinet for that, Kei."

"Thanks, Miku."

Rei sighed and continued to eat, pausing The Stepfather. "Great. They've completely ruined my favorite Disney movie. Every time I see Lady and Tramp eat spaghetti, I'm gonna think of this stupid-ass fight right here."

Kei nodded sympathetically as they watched the two wrestle each other, rubbing his head. "Actually, Rei, I was thinking the same exact thing."

"Hey, Lu-naaa, if you keep being so forward and hitting on me like this, Ky's _never _gonna forgive you."

"I AM NOT _HITTING _ON YOU, I AM _PUNCHING _YOU!"

"Then stop TACKLING ME!"

Yoshi suddenly appeared, sitting between Kei and Rei. "Oooh, looks like it's honeymoon time already," she said eagerly.

"_YOU _STAY _OUT _OF THIS, YOSHINO!"


	29. Complications & The Promiscuous Urchin!

**Back again! Hope you're ready for a little bit of everything, because it's pretty much all in here.**

**Except for the good old-fashioned Spirit Violence.**

**That's the next part, i think. XD**

**Don't forget to REVIEW, and send in your questions! Time's running out, we're almost to the end y'all!**

* * *

"Rei-Reeeiiii, can we get up NOW?" Naruto shouted up towards Rei's room. They were currently sitting in the darkened living room, in two chairs, back to back.

Time Out.

For hitting Kei with a gong and spitting noodles out all over her floor.

If they tried to get out of their Time Out Chairs, Yoshi would make them pay. They found THAT out the hard and extremely unpleasant way.

"Suuuuure," Rei groaned from her room before they heard the rustling of paper. She was probably going over notes with Kei, trying to find a way to break the curse.

They stood up with sighs of relief, but then Naruto suddenly froze mid-stretch. "...Loon?"

"Huh?"

"...How are we gonna change clothes?"

She froze as well. "...We just won't."

"But Lu-naaa, these are my only other change of clothes! I don't wanna dirty them up in that grimy Manor of Sleep, Miku JUST washed them for me!"

Luna sweatdropped. "You sound like such a...a _chick_."

His temple throbbed. "I am NOT. I just don't wanna have to listen to Miku sigh and say 'You shoulda been more careful, Naruto. I manage to not get MY clothes dirty, Naruto.' and then _you_ double-team on me by being all, 'I KNOW, Miku! I never get my clothes dirty either. Which is funny since I do all the WORK, DON'T I, Naruto?'. So THERE."

He then slipped off his shirt, making Luna's arm fling upward with it. He grinned as her cuffed hand accidentally whacked against his abs, making her neck turn red as she spastically tried to remove her hand.

"I know, I'm irresistable, aren't I?"

Her temple throbbed, and she turned away as he finished changing clothes.

"HEY, NO PEEKING!"

"NARUTO, I DID NOT PEEK AND YOU KNOW IT!"

He shushed her. "Shut up, I'm trying to piss off Ky!"

Luna blinked. "...Oh." _So he really DIDN'T see me peek? That's good. I really shouldn't be so damn curious..._

* * *

She held up a finger threateningly as she grabbed her pajamas. "Don't you DARE peek at me."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You act like I've never seen you naked before."

"Yes, well. I like to block that little memory _out_, if you don't mind."

"I _do_ mind, actually. That's one of the best memories of you since you first showed up and started torturing me that I've GOT up here," he muttered, tapping his head for emphasis.

Luna's neck turned red again, but then she smirked. "Oh, you're right. I guess you HAVE already seen it all before, so what's the harm, eh?"

_I bet I can make him pass out in under five consecutive minutes._

She slowly unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans before sliding them off rather deliberately. Naruto was turning redder and redder by the second, and she smirked again. "You don't have to look if it's making you so uncomfortable."

He snapped out of it, shaking his head quickly and waving her off. "Tch. Who you callin' uncomfortable? If anyone here's uncomfortable, it's you!"

"Oh, yes. I'm TOTALLY..." She paused to slide off his jacket, then Miku's, and slowly unbutton her shirt. "...Uncomfortable."

He made a weird noise, attempting to fan his face as discreetly as possible. Luna tried her best not to laugh as she unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and slid it off. She pretended not to notice Naruto openly staring at her, from her neon lime green underwear to her equally colorful bra.

Luna bit her lip absently before fingering her bra strap, cocking her hip in thought.

"Jeez...I don't quite feel like sleeping in a bra tonight..." She maneuvered so her back was to him, moving her hair over her bare shoulder to expose her whole back. "Naruto, do you mind...? I can't reach that well, and I need two hands to do it, so seeing as we're handcuffed...It'd be REALLY helpful if you undid the clasps for me."

"Eheh-eheh-ehahahahahahahaaaa..." _**THUD.**_

Luna ended up falling to the floor and landing on top of him, thanks to the handcuffs and gravity, but still grinned smugly. "Three minutes, fifteen seconds. Keeled over with a perverted nosebleed. New record!"

* * *

She somehow managed to get him onto the couch, and took the opportunity to slip on her pajamas in private before smacking him in the stomach.

He lurched upright with a grunt. "What, what happened?"

Luna sighed. "We have another problem."

"Another? You mean BESIDES the fact that you're fully clothed now?"

Her temple throbbed. "Ignoring that...How the HELL are we gonna sleep like this?"

They both scratched their heads at that one, until a slow grin spread onto Naruto's face. "Well...I can only think of ONE way..."

She eyed him suspiciously. "To be honest, I am _seriously _intimidated by that look on your face right now."

He smiled innocently. "Luna, I do believe we're gonna have to sleep together."

_**BAM!**_

"Ow! NOT THE WAY _YOU'RE_ THINKING!"

"IT BETTER _NOT_ BE!"

"SHUT UP DOWN THERE!" Miku and Rei called out. Kei just groaned. Apparently his eye had swollen to the size of an apple over the course of three hours.

Luna sighed and ran her free hand through her hair. "Then what way do YOU mean? I wasn't aware there was any other way..."

"I'll show you."

* * *

He pulled her by her part of the handcuff as he sprawled out on the couch, and she reluctantly did the same.

Naruto waved his cuffed hand in the air and slowly draped that arm around her waist, pulling her as close as possible.

She was using all her self-control not to act on her defensive impulses; she was pretty sure she was trembling with the effort.

"Jeez, I'm not Ky. I'm not gonna violate you or anything."

"If I were you, I'd be quiet for a moment, unless you want a bullet lodged inside your skeletal structure."

Naruto immediately shut up, waiting tensely as she took deep breaths and squeezed her eyes shut.

This was ridiculous. This was rather childish, and immature, and totally unprofessional of her.

Then again, so was beating the guy she was ordered to protect over the head with a mailbox.

Finally, Luna let out a whoosh of air, breathing normally. "Okay. Okay. I apologize...I am not used to this."

"Oh, what a coincidence. Neither am I."

"Yes, but I doubt you would attempt to shoot me in this instance."

He shrugged. "Probably not. But I don't have as many...'wounds' as you do. So I guess I wouldn't even have the thought cross my mind."

She stared at the wall for a really long time before sighing heavily and muttering so quietly he almost didn't catch it, "...I, uh...I'm sorry."

"Luna says sorry. This most be a historical moment. For what?"

"Treating you like I do. Beating up on you with mailboxes, smacking you, throwing gongs at you..."

"Eight times out of ten, I deserve it," he pointed out, making her laugh.

"That's true. But that doesn't give me the right to be so immature and unprofessional."

Naruto laughed and shook his head. "Loon, you still don't get it."

* * *

"Get what?"

"What life's all about."

She couldn't turn to face him at the moment, so she settled with giving the wall a strange look instead. "And _you _do?"

"Yep."

"What's it about?"

He paused to shift a little, making his hand move from her side to her stomach, which made her suck in a breath and ball up her fists.

She hoped he didn't notice.

"Stuff in life...You either laugh about it, cry about it, love it, or hate it. To save a lot of time and effort, you might as well laugh about it and be totally immature, right?"

Luna nodded slowly. "Naruto, don't let this go to your head, but I think you might be right for once. Considering I've never felt love before, nor do I wish to, I guess laughing about it is my best option..."

Naruto sighed, and she knew he was rolling his eyes. "You and love. I don't get it. How can you be so sure about it?"

"How can YOU be so sure about it?" She shot back.

There was silence before he replied, "Because I'm feeling it."

Her eyebrows shot up at that. "..O-Oh?"

"Yep."

"..."

"For ramen. I miss it so much, it's _insane_!" He whined.

_**BAM!**_

"DAMMIT, LUNA, HOW CAN YOU BE ANGRY AT THAT?"

She shrugged, making his arm rise and fall a lot more than she liked. "I don't really know, I just am. Take it like a man!"

"A _manly_ man," he corrected.

She sighed and shook her head. "Yeah yeah, whatever you prefer."

There was a long silence, and when she was almost positive he was asleep, she started taking deep breaths again.

Why couldn't she get the flippy queasiness out of her stomach? It was driving her insane. Luna decided to blame this all on Naruto. Why not? She blamed everything else on him when she was pissed off.

Being in the Manor, the queasy feeling, her now-re-broken finger, global warming...You name it, she's blamed it.

And since she couldn't recall a prior time she felt these flippies, Naruto was the perfect suspect. He probably put something in her food.

Yes, that must be it.

Then again, was it possible to put fluttery flippy things inside cooked food? Or maybe it was a drug?

He'd find a way. He always found ways to do the most impossible things.

Stupid Naruto. Drugging her like that. Luna had _just_ somewhat-stilled the flippies when he suddenly asked, "What the hell's wrong with you NOW?"

* * *

She froze, and had to ball up her fists again to keep herself from tensing up any further. "Why do you have to _constantly _speak at the worst possible times?" She asked in a clipped voice.

Naruto shifted again, almost deliberately it seemed, making his hand slide further up her stomach. She hissed in a breath, the flippies coming back three times worse. "You jerk, why'd you do that?" She growled.

"Experiment. Loon...Am I making you _nervous_?" He asked, laughter clearly heard in his voice. She huffed and folded her arms, knocking his hand and arm off.

"Of course not! I-I just...I don't know what I am supposed to do."

"Do?"

"I've never done this before!" She snapped defensively. "I didn't even know what 'sleeping together' _meant_ at first, for crying out loud, until you showed me!"

"That's fine, you're fine. I haven't either," he assured her.

"Well then how do YOU know what to do?"

"Well...Partly because I've known Sakura and Ino for YEARS..." She couldn't help but grin at that one, picturing poor Naruto having to listen to them talk about stuff of this nature.

He gently pulled at her arms, unfolding them, before sliding his arm back around her. "And partly because I'm the master at winging it."

"How do you...'wing it'?"

"You go with what you THINK should happen."

"With...what _I_ think?"

"Yep. As long as it doesn't involve bodily harm towards me," he replied brightly.

She thought about it for a minute before nodding. "What I think should happen if it were _us_, or _any_ boy and girl?"

He laughed. "It'd probably be less harmful for all those involved if I answered 'any boy and girl'."

She nodded again. "Okay. That means you can't hold anything I do against me."

"Promise."

Luna cautiously leaned into him, shifting a little and moving her arm against his arm. He sucked in a breath as if about to speak, making her immediately say, "Remember, you promised!" as if her life depended on it.

"I know. I was gonna say 'My turn'."

"...Oh."

"My turn."

"Your turn."

He moved his head so hers was under his and started rubbing her arm with his thumb. She felt herself flare up before thinking, _Wait. This is as if we were ANOTHER boy and girl. It's not as if we'd ever do this as ourselves._

So she didn't even need to calm herself. Luna closed her eyes instead. She decided this other girl would really enjoy the other boy doing that to her arm.

"Is this the part where they sleep?"

"I dunno, but I sure as hell am."

She nodded, eyes still closed. "I guess I will see you in a little bit, then."

"I hope so."

He was playing the role of another boy extremely well. She was impressed. And extremely contented.

Maybe handcuffs weren't...the WORST punishment in the world.

_

* * *

_

_They awoke with Kei. So naturally, Naruto immediately pitched a fit. _

_He even stomped his foot. "No. No. NO NO NO NO! NOT YOOOU! NOT **NOW**!"_

_Luna gave him a strange look. "What makes now a worse time than any, Naruto?" He groaned. "Be-CAUSE, WE WERE JUST- ...Nothing, nothing, I just..." He made a little whiny noise. "I DON'T WANNA **HIDE**, OR TAKE YOU TO THE **BATHROOM**, OR HAVE TO DEAL WITH BRITNEY WANTING ME AND MY HOT **BODY**!"_

_**BAM!**_

"_Ow! Lu-naaaaa, I was panicking! IS THAT SUPPOSED TO CALM ME DOWN?"_

"_No, THIS IS!"_

_**BAM!**_

"_THAT'S THE SAME THING!"_

"_Oh, sorry."_

_**BAM!**_

"_How was that?" She asked sweetly. His temple throbbed. "...Excellent." _

"_Good! I aim to please."_

_Kei shook his head in amusement before continuing down the hallway they had woken up in, while Naruto grumbled under his breath, "...You're doing a really damn sucky job so far."_

"_WHAT'D YOU SAY?"_

"_U-Uhhhh, I said your hair looks especially red today!"_

"_Yeah, that's what I THOUGHT!"_

_They had just turned the corner when Britney appeared in front of the door to her room. **"You'll be back..." **She whispered._

_Luna and Kei both looked immediately at Naruto, who looked like he had just seen his death. _

_...Which he basically had._

_He gulped. "U-Ummm..."_

_Luna tapped his shoulder. "I think she was talking to YOU."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto seemed paralyzed with fear before smirking and holding up his hand. Luna's was immediately jerked up by the cuff, and her jaw dropped to the ground._

_She hadn't even noticed they were still cuffed together._

"_...No. No. NO. NO NO NO NO NOOOO! I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH ALMOST EVERY DAMN GHOST **IN **THIS BITCH!"_

_Kei just sweatdropped before placing his hands on Luna's shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you. No ghost will DARE touch you."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed as Kei smiled at her, making her blush. "Oh no. Ky the Magnificent's on the hunt. Britney must be shaking in her boots."_

"_NARUTO," Luna warned, but he went right on ahead._

"_And jeez, what's with the hands on the shoulders? What are ya, her coach? If you're gonna put some moves on her, at least make 'em good ones!"_

_**BAM!**_

"_Gah!"_

"_He-" **BAM! **"Was performing-" **BAM!** "A kind-" **BAM! **"GESTURE, NARUTOOO!" **BAM!** "SOMETHING OF WHICH YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, BEING A PERVERTED, INSENSITIVE, STUPID...IDIOTIC...DUMBASS!" **BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

"_KYYYY, HELP MEEEEE!"_

_Kei simply smiled innocently. "Luna, I believe Naruto has someone waiting for him."_

_She stopped mid-swing to grin evilly. "You're exactly right, Kei! C'mon, Naruto, let's go meet your soooouuulllmaaaateee!"_

_He clawed at the wall, flailing around comically as she dragged him along. Finally, he sighed miserably and accepted his fate._

"_..Oh, noooo," he whined._

_Okay, maybe he HADN'T accepted his fate._

_Luna rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Naaaa-ruto. Be a man. A MANLY MAN."_

"_A MANLY MAN!" He agreed before flinging open Britney's door and charging, dragging Luna behind him._

_

* * *

_

_At first they didn't see anything, but Luna felt a spiritual pressure lingering nearby. Naruto looked around carefully. "You stay behind me. A ghost is coming."_

_She sweatdropped at his sudden protectiveness before cocking her head. "How do YOU know?"_

_He pointed at her chest before slowly edging forward. "Your necklace. It starts glowing every time a spirit shows up. I notice these things, ya know."_

_Luna nodded slowly. "Wow. Even** I** didn't notice that. I'm impressed."_

"_Don't be. Us guys stare at chests all the time. It's kinda hard NOT to notice when your necklace starts glowing."_

**_BAM!_**

"_OWWWW!"_

"_KEEP IT MOVING, YA PERVERT!"_

"_I...am a man. A manly man. A MANLY MAN WHO HAS NEEDS, JUST LIKE KY!"_

**_BAM!_**

"_Don't you pull the Gender Card, Naruto Uzumaki!"_

"_What, you haven't seen him staring too? Jeez, Luna, it's a way of life. A fact of nature. Instinct. Pure male drive on which we have no choice but to act. A natural occu-"_

"_SHUT THE HELL UP!"_

"_Why...Are you ignoring me, my love?" Britney suddenly asked out of nowhere, making them both jump._

_Naruto looked paler than that fugitive she and Becs once encountered from Albania. Which was definitely saying something._

"_U-Uhhhh...I'm...Sorry?"_

_

* * *

_

_She appeared suddenly, hunched over in front of her mirror stand. She slowly turned to look at Naruto and Luna, though her face was draped over by her hair._

"_How dare you. How DARE you let your affections wane away from me, to give them to this...this...promiscuous urchin!"_

_"PROMISCUOUS __URCHIN?" Luna repeated with a menacing eye-twitch._

"_Loon, she's a ghost, I think you've already won here. Besides...We all know you couldn't be promiscuous even if you tried!" She simply folded her arms across her middle and huffed, making Naruto jerk to the left._

_Britney stood, her kimono swishing, and pointed at Luna. "I...I've seen you around..Your younger self.."_

"_Unfortunately, so have I," Luna grumbled under her breath. Britney slowed to a stop, and they both could just TELL she was giving Luna the most intimidating glare possible._

_Her necklace sure was glowing up a storm NOW._

"_She told me you have come to keep my Akito away from me. Away from the mother of his child. You filthy wretch! Do you have any idea how long I've waited, how long I've DREAMED for this moment?"_

"_I can honestly say I do not," Luna replied calmly._

"_Centuries. CENTURIES. Can you count that high? Over a hundred years, according to your younger self. She told me the date is 2002."_

"_Well, she was wrong. It is 2010, actually," she corrected._

"_How the hell are you so calm?" He hissed under his breath. _

"_Because, lucky for your 'lover' over there, bullets won't affect her," she replied._

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "Lover. Ew."_

"_EVEN NOW, you ignore me? How DARE YOU, Akito! HOW DARE YOU! AFTER ALL WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH!"_

_The two teens gulped, and Naruto dragged her out of the room. "Time to go, time to go!"_

_

* * *

_

_They went through the first door they saw, the one leading downstairs to the room in which they found that Ghost Groper Clan Member bleeding to death._

_But not before Luna heard Britney sob out, "Why are you doing this to me? Didn't you say you loved me?"_

_Before she could stop herself, she was turning them back around and heading for Britney's room. Naruto was caught off-guard for a second, and she was about to open the door when he dragged her back down the stairs at the last possible moment._

"_What the hell are you DOING?" He shrieked._

_Luna glanced up as they heard the door open and Britney call out, "Is someone there?"._

_Naruto struck his defensive stance again, but the door soon shut again, and they both sighed in relief._

_He glared at her. "Are you TRYING to get us killed?"_

_Luna opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She finally just sighed and shook her head. "It was just...something she said...It reminded me of something I used to ask myself. I wasn't thinking clearly."_

"_Chyeah, no kidding," he muttered moodily. He still sounded a little worried, and she smacked him upside the head._

"_Ow!"_

"_Stop worrying about me and mind your own damn business! Didn't I tell you it'd cause you nothing but trouble?"_

_He rubbed the back of his head moodily before stomping off, dragging her with him. "I'm starting to believe that."_


	30. Miasma, Meeasma, And Spirit Conductors

**Back again! Y'all are gonna hate me for ending this chapp here, but it sure is a long one, so brace yourself!**

**Remember to submit your questions and REVIEW!**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_They headed for the Sacred Tree Garden Rei mentioned waking back up in, and were almost there when Luna slowed to a stop._

_"Wait...Where the hell's Kei?"_

_They sweatdropped and looked around, and Naruto shrugged. "Dunno, don't care. Can we just hurry up and try to get past as many ghosts as possible?"_

_Luna hesitated, then sighed and stomped after him. "Fiiiine..."_

_They were walking towards the big double-doors that had been sealed before, and were passing by a hallway, when Naruto suddenly stopped._

_"Hey, didn't you JUST finish telling me we shoul-"_

_"Shh."_

_Luna planted her free hand on her hip angrily. "Did you just shush me?"_

_"Yes. Shh," he hissed, waving her off. He looked confused, squinting a little as he focused on listening to something Luna couldn't hear._

_Suddenly he sighed and shook his head. "Great. I could've sworn I heard some kid trying to talk to me."_

_Luna glared at him. "Don't pull stupid jokes like that around here! We're handcuffed, using the Camera Obscura's gonna be near impossible, so I'm already paranoid!"_

_"I wasn't joking," he muttered as they stopped in front of the door. Luna ran her hand over the burnt seal burnt into the wood, her stomach flipping a lot more than she liked._

_"Naruto...Something tells me once we go through here, things are gonna get about a hundred times worse. Do we really wanna do this?"_

_They looked at the door, then at each other. Naruto nodded and moved to open the door. "Loon, look around. Things couldn't get much worse, now, could they-"_

_He paused again, door not yet opened, to listen carefully. This time, Luna heard faint children's voices as well, and stayed silent._

_He stopped listening to whisper, "Do you hear that?"_

_She nodded. "What do you think they're saying?"_

_"Whatever it is, it ain't friendly," he replied. "C'mon, let's go...Before I have a heart attack." And with that, he opened the doors._

_

* * *

_

_As soon as they entered, everything went monochrome. It felt kind of odd to her; like the air had suddenly become a mass of pressure. Naruto seemed totally fine._

_"What the hell is this stuff?"_

_"I dunno, but it sure does look cool!" He replied, poking the wood of the porch they were on. Luna sweatdropped and carefully led them down the rickety stairs, snow crunching beneath her sock-covered feet as she reached the ground._

_She sighed. "Great. This whole place is covered with snow. Fuuuuun."_

_"I thought you liked snow."_

_"Not when I'm pretty much barefooted and in a creepy ghost manor. Who KNOWS what's been on this ground?"_

_They both shuddered at the thought, and he just shook his head, tugging her part of the handcuffs. "C'mon, let's keep moving."_

_"Sir yes sir," she muttered._

_They had barely taken three steps when they heard creaking. They looked up to see a young man walking along the roof above them._

_Naruto immediately jerked her towards the roof. "C'mon, let's flash-step up there!" Luna jerked him in the other direction, picking up some herbal meds._

_"Wait! Lemme grab the healing item first!"_

_After stuffing it in her boxer short's pocket, she nodded. "Okay, let's cheat. Flash-step it is!"_

_Naruto had no problem Flash-Stepping, but was jerked back down abruptly as Luna failed to do so._

_She instead was looking around and in the air, panting heavily from trying to Flash. "Jeez, Luna, what was THAT for?"_

_She sighed. "Naruto, it's the air. This...miasma. It's too heavy, my chakra seems to be getting supressed from it."_

_He groaned and tugged her along by her handcuff, heading for the building straight across from them. "Great. Just SPLENDID! Well, guess we're going through here."_

_Luna tried to open the door, but sighed after about four tries. "It's sealed tight. As usual."_

_Naruto sighed and looked around, and Luna pointed to the building straight ahead to their left. "Hey, how about that one?"_

_They exchanged a look, then shrugged, and Naruto led the way to the other building. They were almost over there when a kid ran right past them, making them both jump with a shout._

_The little kid turned around to stare at Naruto with a look of pure horror and disgust. He pointed a single finger at him before sneering, "Mom and dad say we're not supposed to play with the Demon Kid."_

_Naruto tensed, while Luna's eyes widened as the kid stuck his tongue out and ran into the building, laughing impishly._

_"...Naruto, do you know that boy?"_

_He shook his head. "...No. But I know that phrase."_

_He dragged her along, and she sighed. "What does THAT mean? Naruto? NARUTO!"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto didn't reply, removing the wooden block on the door and opening it; both sweatdropped. It was an insanely creepy room, falling apart basically, and made even creepier by the fact that it was all void of color and pure oxygen._

_"Even better," he muttered._

_They looked around, and Luna noticed a shiny. She led them over to pick it up, and as she did so, the boy appeared again beside Naruto._

_"Demon Boy, Demon Boy, no one ever plays with Demon Booooy," he teased in a sing-song voice, disappearing while his laughter stayed behind._

_Naruto looked angry now, and Luna eyed him carefully. "Are you sure you don't know that boy?"_

_"I told you, I don't know him! ...I just know the phrase."_

_"What does that MEAN?" She asked again as they made their way out of the building to backtrack and figure out where the Pinwheel Key Luna had just picked up went._

_"It means...nothing you want to know about," was his brilliant and EXTREMELY infuriating reply._

_Luna huffed. "If I didn't wanna know, I wouldn't have asked, now, would I?"_

_Before he could reply, they opened the doors to go back to the normal-looking part of the Manor...only to find that there WAS no normal-looking part of the Manor._

_Everything was now completely monochrome. Luna's breathing quickened despite herself. "Naruto..."_

_"WHAT?"_

_"This miasma...I have a really bad feeling...That prolonged exposure might be lethal."_

_

* * *

_

_He gave her a strange look. "But..I feel fine..."_

_Luna rolled her eyes, struggling to match his fast pace. "Of course you do, idiot. You have the Nine-Tails inside you."_

_"Oh, really? I didn't know that! Glad you told me!" He snapped._

_She glared at him. "Don't you DARE get angry at me. Because of the Fox's chakra, the miasma has little to no effect on you. Your chakra should be fine. Us mere mortals, however, are far worse off with this stuff," she said slowly._

_He slowed down a little, noticing her strain. "Sorry. Just...That kid..."_

_Luna looked up at him expectantly. "What about him?" She urged._

_"Nothing you wanna know."_

_She sighed and, using what little strength she could muster at the moment, planted her feet firmly on the ground, making him jerk and fly backwards._

_"Naruto Uzumaki, I DEMAND you tell me what it is you're so convinced I do not wish to know RIGHT NOW!"_

_Unfortunately, another kid appeared and teased Naruto, running away. "Demon Boy, Demon Boy, keep away from Demon Boy. If you don't, his teeth he'll bare, and-"_

_"SHUT UP, I'M TRYING TO GET SOME ANSWERS OUTTA NARUTO!" Luna shouted, making the boy instantly shut up and keep running away._

_Naruto grinned at her. "Well damn, Loon. I wish I had you around when I was a kid."_

_

* * *

_

_Luna folded her arms across her middle importantly. "If that's true, you'll tell me what's up with this 'demon boy' crap. When did THAT come into play?"_

_He hesitated, then sighed. "C'mon. Let's find somewhere without this meeasma first-"_

_"MIASMA."_

_"WHATEVER IT IS...so you can breathe better."_

_"I can breathe just fine, thank you!"_

_"No you can't, you liar, you look like you just ran five miles!"_

_"Yes, well...You SMELL like you just ran five miles."_

_He rolled his eyes and pulled her along by the handcuff again. "C'mon, Sasaki, keep it moving."_

_"I'm ABOUT to move your ass all the way back into Britney's room if you don't quit tugging me like that," she growled._

_He held his free hand up in surrender. "I give, you win, no Britney, no tugging."_

_"That's what I THOUGHT."_

_"Don't be so smug, it can't be good for you."_

_She growled in response, making him smirk. "Oooh, kinky."_

_**BAM!**_

_"Oww!"_

_"Miasma or no miasma, I can still beat your ass! ...BELIEVE IT."_

_

* * *

_

_He narrowed his eyes. "Hey, that's MY line."_

_"I don't see your NAME on it."_

_Naruto was about to start stomping, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Sharpie- HER Sharpie, and grabbed her cuffed arm._

_"HEY, GIMME BACK MY ARM! ...AND my damn Sharpie!" She shouted in indignation._

_"I don't see your NAME on it, Luuuu-na," he replied smugly as he continued scribbling on her arm._

_Luna huffed and just let him do it, too tired to argue further; this miasma was really starting to get on her nerves. Finally he let go of her arm, stuffed the Sharpie back in his pocket, and kept walking._

_"'Property of Naruto Uzumaki. Not Ky. Ky can go jump off a bridge,'" Luna read slowly, moving her head this way and that to read it._

_Finally, she sweatdropped and shook her head. "Charming."_

_"Why thank you. I always thought I had a way with words."_

_"Well, no one can argue with THAT ONE," she deadpanned._

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWENTY ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_"...Aaand THAT'S how you make a Rasengan," he concluded._

_"Nn," was her brilliant reply as she continued to inch her way along, trying to keep up with him._

_"'Nn'? That's all I get? 'Nn'? That's insulting!" Naruto turned around to lecture her some more, and did so just in time to see her nearly fall flat on her face._

_Which would've been bad, since they were STILL handcuffed._

_Luna stayed that way, leaning forward with her hand braced against the wall and her eyes squeezed shut, for what seemed like a really long time, breathing hard._

_Normally, he would've waited more-or-less patiently, but it seemed like the miasma wasn't just affecting Luna, but the ghosts as well._

_When there was miasma, they were prone to random ghost attacks a lot more often._

_...And they STILL hadn't found Ky. Where the HELL was that douche-of-a-folklorist-frat-boy who left them stranded in Britney's room?_

_So instead of waiting, he just sighed and stomped over to her, slinging her over his shoulder. "Alright, no yelling, I don't wanna have to fight ghosts handcuffed!"_

_"Naruto, I'm having enough trouble breathing as it is without you crushing my airway carrying me like this," she replied._

_Her voice sounded really faroff, and kinda strangled. Now he was a little worried, to be honest._

_He nodded and shifted her around until she was on his back, making her make a noise that sounded a lot like an impatient sigh and groan of pain all at once._

_"Still can't breathe. ...My stomach.." She informed him._

_Naruto was the one sighing impatiently this time, and finally figured out how to carry her so she could breathe...**and she better not nag at me**._

_

* * *

_

_After she didn't protest, Naruto grinned triumphantly. "I thought you didn't like me carrying you at all, much less like this," he pointed out._

_He was currently carrying her sort of honeymoon style, cradling her against him so she was easier to carry._

_"I don't. But...I like being able to breathe...more than being stubborn and...picky," she replied slowly._

_He peered down at her. "You're REALLY not alright, are you?"_

_Luna shook her head stiffly, squeezing her eyes shut again as if she was in pain. "It's this...miasma, it's...making my lungs hurt. And my...and my head."_

_"Ohhhh, THAT'S why you almost fell earlier! Well, hold on and we'll just find a way to get rid of this damn meeasma."_

_"MIASMA, you...idiot," she corrected before coughing a few times._

_"WHAT...EVER it is!"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**SEVENTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_"Is there ANYWHERE without monochrome?" Naruto fumed to himself. He HAD been occupied with finding Ky so they could get out of this dream, but he figured he should make his main concern about this air stuff._

_Luna was getting worse and worse. It was kind of weird, having her actually admit she was getting weak and accept his help without any complaints._

_Which made him more worried since she wasn't talking at all. He usually couldn't get her to shut up...EVER._

_Another kid passed by, chanting the Demon Kid Song Naruto had heard all the time growing up, and he looked around a second before finally finding what he was looking for and throwing the candle stick at the boy's head._

_"YES! FIFTY POINTS!" He shouted as the boy tripped and faceplanted._

_Luna didn't even scold him in any way, not even to say she could've done better. Instead, she had another coughing fit, balling part of his shirt into her fist with her free hand and wincing._

_It looked like just breathing was pretty painful for her._

_He wondered if Ky had died somewhere. **If he died here, does that mean he died in real life?** "Hey, I think Ky's dead," he informed her, expecting some kind of response._

_The only thing that changed was her eyes, which she squeezed shut even tighter as she drew in a particularly ragged breath._

_Almost as if she hadn't even heard him. She probably hadn't._

_Naruto groaned. "Great, just great. No response from mentioning KY? Now I'm really worried..."_

_"You need a purifying light," a really familiar voice informed him. PAINFULLY familiar. He sighed and turned to look at Mini-Luna._

_

* * *

_

_She was currently perched on a tombstone, watching him pace the courtyard back and forth with amusement._

_He slowed to a stop. "Purifying light? What's that?"_

_Mini-Luna hopped down and strolled up to him, looking at her future self with interest. "Weeelll, it looks like a candle..." She touched Luna's arm, making her groan as the Tattoo appeared._

_It was almost completely down her legs now, and was spreading up her neck, almost to her face._

_"Hey, quit that!"_

_Mini-Luna rolled her eyes. "No need to be a hero. She's a big girl, Macho Man. It'll have THAT pattern on the wax," she said, pointing to the Tattoo._

_Naruto eyed her suspiciously as the Tattoo stayed there. "Why should I listen to YOU? And why isn't the Tattoo going away?"_

_"It's not going away because it's progressed to the point where it's a constant reminder of her pain. Do you not know ANYTHING about the Curse?"_

_"Well then, how come Rei and Miku and Ky all don't have their Tattoos staying?"_

_Mini-Luna sighed. "The progression depends on the Curse-Bearer, and how much suffering they might have. Sorrow, inner turmoil, loss...All of which your pal here happens to have a lot of lately," she explained, eyeing her future self carefully._

_Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know."_

_"No, you DON'T know. Not all her struggling has to do with past events, ya know. You're not all that innocent in this," she snapped._

_"What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?"_

_Mini-Luna put her hands on her hips, cocking aforementioned hip in a very Luna kind of way. "YOU figure it out. Why should I tell you all the answers?"_

_He sweatdropped. "You're so much like her, it's scary."_

_She sweatdropped as well. "Well, we ARE the same person."_

_"This whole thing is so messed up."_

_"Life is always messed up in its own little ways. Some more than others. Ours just happen to be extremely twisted."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "You're annoyingly right all the time, too. JUST like her."_

_Mini-Luna peered at her future self, who was currently breathing more and more shallowly. "I'm glad to see I got prettier. Didn't I?"_

_He sweatdropped. "Like hell I'm gonna answer that! One of two things'll happen; I'll get slapped by one of you, or I'll get yelled at by one of you."_

_

* * *

_

_"Perhaps both," she agreed before waving him off. "You don't have much time, I'd hurry. That Kei Amakura guy isn't doing so hot either. Reika and Kyouka have been chasing him all over the place!"_

_"THAT'S right, you told Britney I was Akito, you brat!" Naruto fumed._

_Mini-Luna started giggling. "I couldn't help it! I figured you'd be more entertaining than Kei in the situation. You get all spastic and cute-looking."_

_"Yeah, I am pretty hot...Whether Future You'll ever admit it or not. Hey, wait...Kei's not dead yet?"_

_Mini-Luna's eyebrows shot up. "What made you think he was dead?"_

_"Well, Luna said the miasma was affecting her chakra, and Kei doesn't even have any, so...considering what kind of shape SHE'S in.."_

_She just sighed and rolled her eyes. "I tried to tell her in the shower that day, but I guess she still doesn't get it."_

_"Get what?" He asked cautiously, trying his best to NOT picture Luna in the shower. Which was a bit difficult since he had already seen her naked, even if it had only been for about twelve seconds._

_Mini-Luna grinned as if she knew EXACTLY what he was thinking before clearing her throat and turning serious._

_...Well, as serious as Luna at ANY AGE could be._

_"It's not CHAKRA this place is affecting...Well, it'll affect chakra too after prolonged exposure, but that's besides the point. The miasma's main point of attack is spirit energy. And your pal there happens to be a spirit conductor."_

_"...Spirit conductor? The hell is that?"_

_Mini-Luna shrugged. "I don't exactly know the basics, but..." She paused to tug him along impatiently by the hem of his shirt._

_"Remember the diaries I left for you guys in the Sasaki house? And it mentioned Snake Man, and how he wasn't the only ghost? Though he WAS the scariest...Except MAYBE for Suicide Woman.."_

_Naruto sweatdropped. "Yeah."_

_"Well, anyways. The ghosts around here have told me we- Luna and I, that is- are spirit conductors. Ghosts are drawn to us, they think we can help them. Or maybe we're just good company, how should I know? But either way...It means we have an IMMENSE amount of spirit energy, which equals an immense amount of chakra. I think that's what Snake Man was trying to teach me...Those funny tricks you do with the blue energy..."_

_She paused as Luna coughed some more, now having a constant death-grip on his shirt. She looked cold._

_"After having such intense spirit energy inside for so long...And suddenly having it rapidly disappear...That's why she ended up like this. Practically dead. Unlike Kei Amakura, who has little to no spirit energy and relies on hiding spots and mere knowledge from his research," she grumbled._

_Naruto grinned. "You don't like him either?"_

_"Not a bit. He was such an annoying neighbor, cute or not." She then smirked. "But unlike you, my annoyance isn't because I'm in lo-o-ooooove with Luuu-naaaa!"_

_His temple throbbed. "If I didn't have my arms full, you'd be unconscious on the ground right now."_

_

* * *

_

_She giggled and danced around him carelessly. "Naru-toooo loves Luuu-naaaa, Naru-toooo loves Luuu-naaaa! Wait until she hears about THIS!"_

_"YOU BETTER NOT START SAYING STUFF LIKE THAT TO HER, SHE'LL MURDER ME!"_

_Mini-Luna waved him off. "Not LUNA, my new friend." She stopped and pointed out a hallway. "Go to the far FAR left, and there should be a purifying light on the table. Unless Hisane's been messing with the candles again..."_

_He eyed her suspiciously. "You never answered my question. Why're you helping me?"_

_She rolled her eyes, JUST like Luna. "Isn't it obvious? I wanna be able to punish her myself. I don't want her getting off easy by suffocating from this miasma."_

_He shook his head and continued down the hall. "I should've known."_

_Mini-Luna watched as Luna coughed some more and he shifted her in his arms so she could breathe better before rubbing her arm reassuringly. "Just hang in there, Loon, I'm about to kick this meeasma's ASS."_

_Mini-Luna giggled. "My new friend's right about you. You may be a spastic loud-mouthed pervert, but you're such a softie."_

_Naruto didn't even turn around, no matter how much he wanted to strangle her. "Oh yeah? And who's this 'new friend' of yours?"_

_"Oh, no one really. Just your mother. She's been looking for you, you know. Says she wants to 'meet your girlfriend'."_

_He nearly dropped Luna right then and there, frozen mid-step. _

_"...W-What did you just say?"_


	31. Kushina And Naruto's Drunken Misfortune

**Ta-DAAA! Another chapp!**

**Yes, i know, you were all in suspense to see what came from such a CLIFFHANGER.**

**So...Read, REVIEW, ask any questions you might have (trust me, i've got some random ones, nothing's off limits), and most importantly: REVIEW!**

**...just kidding. Enjoy. XD**

_

* * *

_

_Mini-Luna didn't reply, just giggled some more and disappeared. Naruto ran to grab the purifying light, and as soon as he touched it, everything returned to normal._

_Luna almost immediately started coughing and breathing in air deeply, still balling up his shirt, as he ran after Mini-Luna._

_"What...What the hell happened? Why're we running?" She asked groggily._

_"Can't explain! Too much to tell! Just take a nap!" He said excitedly._

_She moved her grip from his shirt to his shoulder as she shifted a little, temple throbbing at how little his jerky movements were helping her stiff joints. "Take a nap? Yeah right!"_

_"How come you never mentioned being a spirit conductor?" He asked randomly. Luna paled. "Oh. You met up with my Mini-Me, I take it?"_

_"Yep. She saved your ass, by the way. Apparently we have to collect these purifying light candles and it makes everything return to normal."_

_"Ohhh- OW!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking down at herself. "Why's my Tattoo showing? We're not around any ghosts! Naruto, why isn't it going away?" She asked somewhat frantically._

_His guess was that she passed out early on during the miasma sequence and now had no clue what was going on._

_"I'll explain that later, but right now, I'M ON A MISSION!"_

_"So...That means WE'RE on a mission."_

_"Yep."_

_"And that mission is...?"_

_"We're trying to find someone. A woman."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "Naruto, whoever we might find in this Manor, I assure you they're not your type. You're more of the...ALIVE type."_

_He smirked. "Why do you immediately assume I need help with the ladies? I could get any girl I wanted, thank you very much."_

_"Chyeah right. I'll believe THAT when I-..." She trailed off as a woman suddenly appeared down the hall and instantly brightened when she saw them._

_"Naruto! Oh, how I missed you!"_

_Luna looked from him, to the woman, and back again before sweatdropping. "EHHHH? NO FLIPPING WAY!"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto rolled his eyes. "Get your head out of the gutter!"_

_The two hugged, nearly squeezing the life out of poor Luna, who was caught in the middle. But she was too busy staring at the woman to really complain._

_She was...well, quite frankly, one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen._

_Almost without realizing it, Luna fingered her own little-past-shoulder-length red hair self-consciously as Naruto set her down._

_"Do you have ANY idea how many ghosts I had to ask for directions around here? And as for your father- ...YOUR FATHER, who has YET TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE AND HELP ME OUT, SINCE I CAN'T DEAL WITH DIRECTIONS WORTH A DAMN," she fumed._

_Luna nearly keeled over, her jaw dropping. "...Wait...Wait wait WAIT...FATHER?" She looked between them, and they sweatdropped more and more by the second as it took her a little while to put two and two together._

_When she finally did, she gasped. "No way. THIS...is your MOTHER?"_

_The woman grinned. "Well, jeez, from what I've seen so far, I thought a girl as smart as you would've figured that out a whole lot sooner."_

_She turned to look at Naruto. "AS FOR YOU..." He gulped as she stomped her foot. "How could you not mention me to your girlfriend? Honestly, I'm offended!"_

_"Mom, mom, she's not REALLY my girlfriend. She's a highly-trained assassin...Who happens to not be able to take care of herself since Orochimaru wants her for whatever the hell reason," he explained smoothly._

_**BAM!**_

_"Ow!"_

_"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF JUST FINE, NARUTO UZUMAKI!"_

_His mom cocked an eyebrow. "Wasn't he carrying you just now?"_

_Naruto grinned triumphantly, while LUNA did the foot-stomping this time. "That wasn't MY fault, it was that stupid miasma!"_

_His mom nodded slowly. "You must be the 'spirit conductor' that little girl mentioned...YOU'RE the one I keep sensing. Almost always right by Naruto. That makes sense!"_

_Luna grinned. "THAT would be because I was assigned to protect HIM. Because NARUTO can't take care of HIMSELF!"_

_"NOT TRUE!"_

_"OH YEAH?"_

_"YEAH!"_

_"PROVE IT!"_

_"YOU PROVE IT!"_

_"WHY THE HELL WOULD I PROVE **YOUR **POINT?"_

_"I MEANT YOURS, LUNA!"_

_"WELL, YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SO!"_

_His mom sweatdropped. "Are you sure you two aren't really dating? Scratch that...You act like you're already married."_

_

* * *

_

_She suddenly pointed at Luna enthusiastically. "Hey! Wait, I remember YOU! Well, not you literally...You weren't born yet...But I remember Kira being PREGNANT with you!"_

_"MY/HER MOM?" They both cried out._

_"No, I'm mistaken with ANOTHER woman who was pregnant around the same time as me named Kira," she deadpanned._

_They laughed nervously. "Right, right. Sorry."_

_She held out her hand. "Yeah, you must be the same Luna. You look just like her! Except for your eyes. Those're your dad's...I can't believe I'm actually meeting you! I'm Kushina. I was supposed to be one of your aunts, since Kira only had one sister."_

_"She has a sister?"_

_"No one knows where she is, though. Been missing since we were fourteen." Kushina bounced in place excitedly. "So, how's Kira doin'?"_

_Luna almost instantly turned somber, which puzzled Naruto since as far as he knew, she didn't remember much about her mom._

_"She disappeared as well. When I was young. I don't remember much about back then..."_

_Kushina sighed and shook her head sadly. "Dammit, Kira..."_

_She suddenly crossed her arms and pouted. "And here I was expecting to run into you two and hear all about some amazing romance in which you became playmates, and best friends, and LOVERS. But NO. I was SO WRONG."_

_Their temples throbbed. "DEAD wrong..."_

_

* * *

_

_Everyone's eyes widened as the purifying light candle reached the halfway mark. Luna sighed. "Great. I hope you're ready to carry me some more, Naruto."_

_"Not like you're heavy."_

_"So I've been told. Way too often."_

_He looked at his mom a little worriedly. "Why exactly are you here? And you mentioned dad not showing up or something...?"_

_Kushina turned serious as well. "Yes. I'm not quite sure why I'm here, I just am. I have a feeling you guys might need me for something later, I just have no idea what...As for your dad, ...who knows. All I know is that I am NOT leaving behind strands of my hair again for him to follow! That fricking hurt!"_

_That brought Luna's attention back to Kushina's bright red hair, flowing down to her knees. And she noticed her fair skin made a wonderful contrast with her violet eyes._

_Why were ghosts always so beautiful? They did NOT make being a teenage girl easy, that's for sure._

_The purifying light sank some more as Kushina suddenly asked, "Can I talk to you? Alone?"._

_"...Me?"_

_"Yes, you. I said 'you', didn't I?"_

_"Yeah, but...uhhh.." Luna held up their cuffed wrists, making Kushina smirk. "You know, you're supposed to save those for the honeymoon."_

_The expressions on their faces made her barely contain laughter as she summoned some sort of barrier, cutting them off at the chain between their cuffs. "Here. He won't be able to hear us."_

_Luna eyed Naruto suspiciously, who was currently eyeing THEM suspiciously. "NARUTOOO, I'M ABOUT TO GET NAKED!"_

_No response, except for him asking in a gargled voice, "Are you yelling at me for somethin'?"_

_Luna nodded with satisfaction, while Kushina seemed to be trying not to laugh again. "I suppose he can't."_

_That's when his mom threw her head back and started laughing. "Ahhh, the pervyness! I'm glad my son isn't the only one with a dirty mind around here!"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto's mom turned rather serious after a few moments. "On to the discussion. You know about the Nine-Tailed Fox, am I correct?"_

_"Yes," she muttered, and the involuntary wince at the mention of the demon didn't go by unnoticed._

_"You know someone who was killed during the battle," she observed._

_Luna nodded. "My dad, actually." Kushina looked stricken for a moment, but the expression was gone almost as quickly as it came._

_"Listen carefully. The Fox feeds on Naruto's anger. It uses that anger to take control over him, causing the tails to start to form. If that happens, it looks like it'll be up to you to try and stop it. If you can, try and calm him down before the tails have a good chance to form, but if not, DO NOT let them get past four tails no matter what."_

_Luna nodded as they both glanced at Naruto, who was currently muttering darkly to himself about secretive women._

_Just like the wince, the grin that threatened to show on Luna's face also didn't go by unnoticed by Kushina, who smiled at her._

_"I think you'll be able to calm him just fine. It seems he's taken to you."_

_"Taken to me? How well?" Luna wondered more to herself. She always thought she was simply the master at pissing him off, to be honest._

_"At least as much as you seem to have taken to him," was her sly answer._

_She quickly continued while Luna tried not to turn red. "There's a chance that his anger will just release itself so fast, you don't have time to calm him. Or if something serious happens to you, which might've triggered that anger in the first place. If that happens..."_

_She looked at her son, as did Luna, making him stick his tongue out at them. They both sweatdropped._

_Kushina shook her head and continued her train of thought. "If that happens...Help him gain control back at all costs. No matter what. If I'm still floating around here somewhere, I'll do my best to try and get to you in time, but...it just makes me feel like he's safer if you know what might set him off."_

_"Should I stop pissing him off so much?"_

_"Nah, it's healthy for a man. Just keep doing what you've been doing...He looks quite contented with things lately. Not as stressed or angry or...miserable."_

_Of course, she said this as he plopped onto the floor, sighing heavily and pretending to look at his watch._

_Luna sweatdropped as she got up off the floor, having been jerked down rather comically when he plopped into his Moping Mode. "...Are you sure about that?"_

_Kushina chuckled and nodded. "I know he doesn't seem like it, but I can tell. Us mothers know these things, ya know. We gotta be good at something."_

_"What..What was my mom good at?" Luna asked hesitantly._

_She smiled absently. "Making people smile. No matter what it was, she always left people with a smile on their face. Be it a sarcastic remark, or being a clutz, or just being a reassuring friend...She never left you alone with a frown."_

_Her gaze shifted to Luna, still smiling. "I think you may have gotten a little bit of that."_

_Luna nodded, smiling as well. "That would be nice. Making people smile."_

_

* * *

_

_As if on cue, everything went monochrome, and Naruto pounded on the barrier with a huge grin. "Weeell, time's up, c'mon Luna."_

_Her temple throbbed as he picked her up all heroically once the barrier was gone, and Kushina smirked. "Well, HE has a smile on his face," she pointed out._

_Naruto's grin grew as Luna turned red. "Jeez, mom, what the hell'd you say to her?"_

_"That's for me and Luna to know, and you to NOT know."_

_He drooped, and Luna wriggled out of his grip so he could receive one last hug from his mom. "I don't know why I'm here, but I'm glad I got to see you again," she informed him. Their hug was a long and tight one, but Luna didn't really mind waiting._

_She would do the same thing after seeing her mother again. Again..for the first time? Ahh, what'd it really matter? She'd still be holding on just as tight._

_Kushina pulled away to grin at Luna before bombarding her with a hug. "And I'm glad I got to meet** you**! Love your tattoo, I can see all I need to see...Unlike that ONE chick floating around, who seems to have misplaced her shirt...Good to know MY son doesn't have a slutty girlfriend!"_

_"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"_

_"I'M DEAD, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, LEMME HAVE **SOMETHING **INTERESTING TO TELL YOUR FATHER! ...Besides, it's only a matter of time," she said innocently, squeezing Luna tighter once before pulling away._

_Kushina smiled at them contentedly. "I hope I'll see you two around." And with that, she strolled down the hall, fading away more and more every three steps until she was completely gone._

_Luna sighed tiredly as the miasma already started to affect her energy. She looked to Naruto, who sighed as well and simply held out his arms. "Go on ahead."_

_She jumped up with the few ounces of strength she had, temple throbbing. "Dammit, less than two minutes with this stuff and I'm already feeling drained."_

_He started walking. "I'm sure there're more purifying lights around here. It's probably taking less time because you JUST got over the other bit of meeasma."_

_"MIASMA."_

_"WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT!"_

_"YOU'RE POLITCALLY INCORRECT!"_

_"YOU'RE NOT MY ENGLISH TEACHER!"_

_Luna stopped the argument as she tilted her head thoughtfully. "Thank goodness for that. Becs tells me they're almost always old and/or ugly."_

_"She's right. I saw Miku's AND Rei's."_

_"WHEN?"_

_"Looong story."_

_Luna shrugged. "We have a ton of time."_

_"Yeah, I just don't wanna have to tell you."_

_She huffed. "WELL then! I see how it is."_

_After a few moments, he asked the question she surprised took him so long to ask. "So, what did my mom want?"_

_Luna grinned smugly. "Long story that I don't wanna have to tell you." He groaned. "Okay, I deserve that." She started laughing at that one._

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Naruto finally stopped singing that damned Bird is the Word song (she SO regretted that concussion) to suddenly ask, "Heeey Loon?"_

_"...Huh?" She replied tiredly before gulping in a breath as if she were a fish._

_"Can I tell you something weeeeeeird?" He asked. He sounded just about wasted._

_Luna sweatdropped. "Since...Since when do you...ask for my...permission to tell me...something...weird?" She asked between breaths._

_"I, uhhh...I've always...This is gonna sound reeeally weeird, buuuut...I've always thought...You had the most beeeautiful hair."_

_She sweatdropped. "Uhhh...Wait, what?"_

_"You-You heard me! Jeeeeezzz-uh...You have...beautiful...haaair..."_

_Luna's eyes widened. "Wow, Naruto...You said...something...SWEET to me.."_

_"You also haaaveeee...aaa...beeeaaauutifuuul...ASSS!" He declared as if he had never heard her reply to the hair thing._

_Her temple throbbed. "If I...had any strength...you'd be...wishing you had never...said that.."_

_"Well then, I guess you're about to reeeeeaaally wanna kill me," he said in that weird loopy voice drunk people use when about to do something even THEY know in their warped state of mind is bad._

_Luna sighed, bringing on a coughing fit. "Naruto, think before...you speak...Remem-"_

_"I DON'T WANNAAAA! THINKING'S OVERRAAATTEEEDDD, DAAAAMMIT!" He fumed as if she had just suggested he drown kittens in the nearest river._

_She sweatdropped. "FINE then...Sa...Say it..."_

_"Okaaay. Heeere goes..! Hoold on...Wait...WAAAIT! It was REEEALLY suave...and semi-important...ish...and...and...NOW I CAN'T REMEMBER! DAMMIT, LU-NAAAA!"_

_"How...the HELL is...this...my fault!"_

_"Be-CAUSE, Caaaptain Obvious...You were distractiiiing meee."_

_"I didn't say anything!" She shouted before coughing some more._

_"It's not your TALKING...it's just...YOU," he informed her as if it made total sense. Maybe it did, but not to her._

_Not when her brain was totally clogged from damn miasma. "What...What does THAT mean?"_

_"Well, YOU knooowww...You're just all...alllll...fuuun to look at! 'Cause you have the HAIR...and the EYES...and the...and the ASS, which is riiight by my HAAAND...and then- Hey, watch out!" He said as she suddenly attempted to shift her butt as far away from the aforementioned hand as possible._

_"GAH!" **THUD.**_

_She faceplanted on the floor, dragging Naruto down with her. She just stayed like that, face down, while Naruto poked her and snickered as if he were playing the world's best prank._

_"Lu-naaaa feeeellll, Lu-naaaa feeeellll!"_

_"I did...I did not...I was just...smelling the floor!" Curious, she actually smelled the floor before sighing contentedly._

_"And it smells nice."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto sweatdropped before he finally figured out in his totally-clouded mind that he should probably resume carrying her, and tried to do so before falling flat on his stomach._

_He started laughing. "...Now I know how Granny must feel after all that sake!"_

_That got Luna laughing too, which probably wasn't a good thing, because she almost immediately started coughing, breathing as deeply as she could._

_Her vision started going blurry, and she heard Naruto sigh. "Heey...Guess whaaat?"_

_"Wh...Wh-What..."_

_"I thiiiink...We're gonna die."_

_"..."_

_"Soooo...Since we're gonna die...I'm goonnaaa let you in on a little secreeet..."_

_"..."_

_"Youuu...Youuu asked me whyy...whyyy I care so much about...Ky...hittiiing on yoouu, riiight?"_

_"..."_

_"Well...I care sooo much...Because...Thouuughhh youuuu probably won't believe meee...I happen to...tooooo...to CAAAREE what...what haaappens to yooouuu. Soooo...I'm gonnaaa...gonnaaa promise you somethin'. I promise...thaaat...I'm gonna singlehandedly...singlehandedly? Or singlehanDEEEEDly? I think...uhh...singlhanDEEEEDly! I will...singlehanDEEEEDly get rid of the Tattoo on you...Becaaaaause...If you DIE...I wooonnn't...I wooonnn't take it very well...Did you know that?"_

_"..."_

_"...Loooooooon?"_

_"..."_

_He grunted as he rolled towards her before turning her over so she was flat on her back. In his current..."condition", he couldn't tell down from up, much less that she was totally fine, just passed out and having trouble breathing._

_Instead, he panicked. "Oh no...Oh no...OH NOOOO-ES! LU-NAAA, YOU DIED! DID YOU KNOW YOU DIED? YOU'RE DEAD! NOOOOO! I **JUST **PROMISED TO SAVE YOU BEFORE KYYY COULD! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MEEEHEEEHEEEHEEEE! DAMMIT, YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE **JUST **SO I COULD CONSTANTLY BE REMINDED THAT YOU LIKE KY MORE THAN MEEEEE!"_

_Naruto wailed and pounded the ground with his fists some more before suddenly stopping, coming to a shocking realization._

_"WAAAIIIT a second...YOU'RE NOT DEAD! ...You just need CPR! YEAH, THAT'S IT! Wait...so do I do THIS first or THAT first...I think I do that LAST..."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Kei finally found a purifying light...right next to Luna, who was unconscious on the ground, and Naruto, who was right beside her and mumbling to himself._

_"Umm...Naruto? Is everything..." He trailed off as he poked Naruto with wide eyes. Naruto then grabbed Kei by his shirt and gave him a crazy look. "Why YES, Magical ToasterWaffle, I DO enjoy dragons in my coffee!"_

_He completed this with a very dazed and slightly-maniacal laugh, to which Kei sweatdropped before wrapping his fingers around the purifying light, making everything return to normal._

_Luna suddenly lurched into a sitting position, coughing and cradling her arm against her chest._

_"Ugh...Why does my chest hurt so much?"_

_Kei looked in disbelief at Naruto, who then jumped back defensively. "PERVERT! I DID NO SUCH THING!"_

_Luna looked at the ground thoughtfully. "...Huh. Weird. My mouth feels all funny...Almost like...like- ...WAIT."_

_She slowly turned a full-on glare in Naruto's direction, causing him to laugh nervously. "Now, Loon, before you do anything rash, keep in mind I was...kinda loopy from that meeasma."_

_"Its...MIASMA..." She said in a rather ominous voice, slowly tugging the chain of the handcuffs so he was dragged closer and closer to her._

_"I thought you were dead! You needed medical attention!"_

_"Not THAT kind of medical attention, you pervert!"_

_"Oh, c'mon, it's not like I VIOLATED you or anything!"_

_"...Well then what the hell did you do?" She asked suspiciously._

_He laughed anxiously. "W-Weeellll..."_

_She tugged him closer and closer, while Kei suddenly gave him a disbelieving look. "Naruto...Did you give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"_

_"AND I did the whole pushing against her heart thing, like Kakashi taught us!" He announced proudly before noticing the demonic aura around Luna._

_And he should know what a demonic aura looked like._

_"You...did...WHAAAAAT?" She asked as she shook him by his shoulders. Once he could see correctly again, he grinned at her._

_"Sooo...does this mean you liked it?"_

_

* * *

_

_"NARUTOOOO!"_

_Even Kei winced with sympathy as Luna laid waste to her handcuffed inmate._

_"...Dammit, Naruto, you really are the dumbest teenage boy I have ever heard of in my life."_

_"SHUT UP KY!"_

_"DON'T YOU BLAME THIS ON HIM, THIS WAS ALL YOU, YOU FRIGGING PERVERT!"_

_"I WAS SAVING YOUR DAMN LIFE!"_

_"SHUT UP!"_

_"YOU'RE JUST MAD BECAUSE YOU WISH YOU HAD BEEN** CONSCIOUS** WHEN I DID IT!"_

_"RAAARGH! HOW DARE YOU!"_

_"AAHHHHH! HELP, SOMEBODY! REIKA, SHRINE MAIDEN...BRITNEY! SOMEBODDYYYYY!"_


	32. Luna's Epic Skills And Naruto's Fail!

**Back again! **

**All i have to say is...Poor Naruto. XD**

**Remember. Reviews make my day. No questions necessary to review, i've gotten a good amount through PMs and whatnot. **

**But reviews would be nice, the story's almost done, folks! **

**ENJOY!**

_

* * *

_

_"Um...Luna...As terrified as I am to interrupt your thirst for Naruto's blood right now, I really think we should get going before the miasma returns," Kei said slowly, waving the half-burned-down purifying light to and fro for emphasis._

_"PLEASE, LISTEN TO KY-Y-YYYY!" He choked out, gasping for breath like a fish out of water._

_Luna reluctantly loosened her hands around his throat before letting go completely. Naruto crawled backwards, putting as much space between them as possible._

_"What...the HELL is wrong with you?"_

_She had a rather demonic aura still around her as she growled, "I...don't like...being touched...WITHOUT MY CONSENT!"_

_"GAH! KY, HELP ME!" Naruto screeched as she dove to attack him. Kei held her back, sweatdropping._

_He rubbed her shoulders soothingly, making Naruto's temple throb. "Just caaalm dooown, Luna. Take deep breaths while you still can."_

_"I don't remember you giving HIM consent to touch you."_

_"KEI isn't giving me MOUTH-TO-MOUTH RESUSCITATION. UNNECESSARY mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!"_

_"I swear, I thought you were dead! Otherwise I wouldn't have DARED to give you mouth-to-mouth!" He insisted._

_Luna sighed and stomped down the hall, dragging Naruto with her. "You're lucky Kei was here to stop me, you know how I am when blind rage kicks in."_

_Kei gave Naruto a questioning look, who sighed as he struggled to keep up with Luna and the damn other half of the handcuff. "Yeah. I know."_

_"Blind rage?"_

_Naruto nodded. "When she gets real angry, as in 'I KILL EVERYONE!' angry or PMS-y angry-"_

_"Or 'NARUTO YOU IDIOT HOW DARE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY LACK OF CONSCIOUSNESS' angry," she added darkly._

_"...Yeah, or that...She slips into this blind rage where she just focuses on getting out her anger. Usually getting it out on me," he added grudgingly._

_"Usually I am quite successful at repressing it, but this place does the worst things to my nerves and self-control," she admitted quietly from up ahead._

_"So I noticed."_

_"SHUT UP NARUTO!" She shrieked as she threw the candlestick with which he had hit the ghost kid at him, hitting him square in the gut._

_**BAM!**_

_"DAMMIT, LUNA, THAT FRICKING HURT!"_

_"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO!"_

_"YOU GUYS!" Kei bellowed, making them both shut up and blink innocently. He held up a diary. "I found this when I had to reencounter Britney. I haven't read it yet, trying to find you two for hours."_

_"Well then, by all means, READ IT Mr. Amakuuuura," Naruto grumbled, earning another whack from Luna._

_"...I saw that comi- OW!" He shouted suddenly as she clocked him with the pole on which the candlestick had been perched on, making him fall flat on his face._

_She somehow stayed upright and beamed innocently at Kei. "Please continue."_

_

* * *

_

_He sweatdropped and cleared his throat, then sighed and handed it to Luna. "Here, you read it. Someone should really stop the bleeding," he muttered as he gave Naruto some herbal meds._

_He was currently laying there so dazed that he didn't even protest and insult Kei. Must've been serious._

_**Oh well! He deserved it..**._

_Luna shrugged indifferently and flipped it open, clearing her throat dramatically._

_"_**_The manor has been closed off due to_**

**_the Unleashing, yet I'm not allowed to_**

**_go outside. I wonder if I'm destined_**

**_to remain in solitude forever._**

**_I can already only remember his face vaguely._**

**_That picture he left, that last earring_**

**_he left, I left them all back in the manor._**

**_It's all so hazy now, it seems_**

**_like it was all just a dream._**

**_I at least wanted him to just see my hair._**_"_

_Naruto shook his head, swatting Kei away as he tried to stp the blood from flowing into his eye. "Britney's such a psycho."_

_Kei nodded in agreement, but they both paused once they noticed the pensive look on Luna's face._

_"...Loon? You alright?"_

**_I too am forgetting a man's face. Not Alex, that would be too convenient. But I am forgetting my father's._**

**_My real father. Is there nothing more awful than forgetting the face of one so important?_**

_

* * *

_

_Naruto looked at Kei meaningfully, and he glared at the blonde before walking ahead. Once he was out of earshot, Naruto hesitantly tapped her shoulder._

_"Earth to Luna. You alright?"_

_She blinked a couple times, now abruptly snapped out of her thoughts, and ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. **She looks so tired lately...**_

_"I am...forgetting him."_

_"Who? Douchebag?"_

_"I wish. My father." She paused before folding her arms across her middle, inadvertently jerking Naruto towards her due to the damn handcuffs._

_"I remember...before I realized who he was...I would see him. Very often. It got so common that every time I closed my eyes, eventually he appeared. Sometimes more than Kira did. And now...I seem to be forgetting. I don't wanna forget. Why should I? ...Unfortunately, it seems I can relate to Britney more than I thought."_

_Luna glanced over at him. "Does...Does that make me psycho, too?"_

_"Of course not!" He replied right before everything returned to monochrome. Naruto picked her up as if it were already routine for him. "If you were, I wouldn't let you beat up on me so much, would I, now?" She smiled at that despite herself. "Thank you."_

_"No problem."_

_Kei waited "patiently" (here meaning tapping his foot and looking rather annoyed with Naruto) for them to catch up before holding up a couple things._

_"I also got a holly hair pin there, so I went to look in Kyouka's drawer on the mirror stand in her room. Inside it I found an echo stone earring, as well as this...picture...of Akito."_

_He showed them the picture, and Naruto burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! Loon, he's trying to trick us by showing us a picture of himself in some Feudal-Era-esque photo shoot! Ky, I didn't know you were a MODEL!"_

_

* * *

_

_Kei's temple throbbed, and Luna rolled her eyes while trying not to smile. "Naruto, he's not a model. The only reason Kyouka thought YOU were her lover was because my Past Self kept telling her so. The woman was desperate for company, she'd believe anything she...I...said. You're looking at the real face of Akito Kashiwagi, Kyouka Kuze's lover and father of her son, Kaname Kuze."_

_"Wait...So Mini-Luna was just FUCKING with her for kicks and giggles to get her all hung up on thinking I'M her dead lover? So this is YOUR fault, technically speaking!"_

_Her temple throbbed. "You're pushing it, Uzumaki."_

_"So...THAT'S the real Akito, so Britney still thinks YOU'RE...her dead lover, coming back for her, no matter what Mini-Luna made her thinkg before?" Kei nodded, and Naruto started laughing all over again._

_"Hahahahaha! Sucks to be you, Ky! Now you're gonna have to break up with her! But I'm warning you, if you tell her you're leaving her for Luna and that Britney bitch attacks her, I'm kicking your ass and tying you up, wrapping you up in Christmas paper, putting the girliest bow I can find on your head, ,making you wear makeup and a dress and high heels, and presenting you to Britney myself!" He warned._

_Kei looked to Luna, expecting her to hit him, but she beamed instead. "Naruto...I think that has to be the sweetest thing anyone's threatened to do to someone for me!"_

_Kei's temple throbbed. "This miasma is worse for the brain than I thought..."_

_"Whass he talkin' 'bout?" Naruto said, his words slurring._

_Luna shrugged, then hiccuped, making her giggle. "Hehehehe...I hiccuped."_

_"So I saw," Naruto replied in a wise voice._

_Her eyes widened. "Whoa...YOU DID? ARE YOU PSYCHIC, NARUTO?"_

_He was about to ask if she was stupid, but inspiration seemed to strike, and a grin slowly crept onto his face._

_"...Why yes. Yes I am."_

_

* * *

_

_"REEEALLY?" She asked like a little kid, eyes wide with wonder._

_"Yep. In fact, I can predict your future."_

_"REALLY? HOLY CRAP, THIS IS SO EXCITING! TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME!" She coughed, then waved herself off and muttered "Stop coughing, Luna" before grinning up at him excitedly._

_He cleared his throat importantly. "Alright, I SHALL! ...I see...I seeee...that to make it up to me for beating the living daylights out of me...you're about...TO KISS ME!"_

_Kei expected her to hit him, slap him across the face, kick him in the gut, SOMETHING violent, but instead her eyes widened to the size of saucers._

_"Whoa...I am?"_

_"Yeeeep."_

_"WOW! I must be feeling really generous today."_

_"You are. But it's the future, so it's gotta happen."_

_"When, Naruto, when's it gonna happen?" She asked, itching with curiosity._

_"In abooouutt...ten seconds, maybe fifteen."_

_"REALLY?"_

_"Yep."_

_Kei nearly keeled over as she shifted in Naruto's arms with a hiccup and gripped his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. "Oh, okay! How many seconds now?"_

_Naruto looked like he was about to pass out himself, not believing what he had actually gotten away with._

_"U-Uhhh, did I say kiss me? I meant make out."_

_She shrugged indifferently. "Hey, YOU'RE the psychic. How many seconds NOW?"_

_He stared at her in total shock and disbelief, stunned speechless that she was ACTUALLY falling for it._

_Luna sighed impatiently. "You take too long! I'LL decide when the future turns into the present. Hmmm...lemme see..10. 9. 8. 7. 6...6...What comes after- wait, don't tell me...OH! Okay, 6, 5. 4...4..."_

_"3?" Kei and Naruto offered in unison before Kei shook his head quickly. "I can't believe I'm actually taking part in this disturbing scene."_

_She let out another impatient sigh. "321!" She said quickly before leaning up, kissing him without hesitation. He stumbled, his free hand moving to the side of her face and down her neck once he regained his balance._

_"H-H-HOLY CUPCAKE JESUS, WHERE'D YOU LEARN TO DO THAT?" Naruto shouted once she pulled away quite a while and many kisses later, keeling over with a perverted nosebleed._

_Luna landed on top of him, and Kei sweatdropped as she poked his chest. "Naruto...Naruto?" She shrugged. "I thought making out took longer and involved more exciting action...? Oh well, guess he didn't predict this part. Wow, those tricks Becs explained to me must REALLY work," she mused as Naruto twitched and mumbled to himself._

_She hiccuped, then looked up at Kei. "Can we take a nap? I'm tired."_

_

* * *

_

_He sweatdropped some more. "Luna...did you really just...You...Naruto..."_

_"Fall? A little bit."_

_"I meant the- GAH! Never mind," he muttered as he helped her up. The miasma started taking its toll on her physical state as well, and she fell right back down._

_"Owww," she said with a giggle and hiccup._

_Kei helped her up again and let her lean against the wall. "Hmmm...Is it possible that the miasma...is affecting you the same way it affected Naruto before I activated the last purifying light?"_

_"Yep. Believe it," Mini-Luna said out of nowhere._

_"HEY, THAT'S **HIS **LINE!" Luna shouted, making them all jump. She pointed to the unconscious Naruto for emphasis, and Kei sweatdropped._

_"The hell is wrong with her?"_

_"This miasma's affected her health about three times now, the lack of consistent oxygen flow to her brain is starting to mess with her senses as well. Therefore...She might as well be drunk," she explained as Luna giggled and hiccuped some more, swaying dangerously._

_Kei caught her right before she fell and carried her like Naruto had been doing. "Come on, Luna, let's keep going, alright?"_

_She blinked up at him before making a "Psshhh" noise. "You can take me wherever the hell you WANT, you're a dreamboat!"_

_Mini-Luna sweatdropped. "...Dreamboat? Holy shit...! If I ever get drunk when I'm older, I'm jumping off a bridge. I'll never be able to live with the consequences."_

_She sweatdropped some more as no one bothered to help poor unconscious Naruto, who was currently being dragged against the splintered wooden floor behind them._

_"...Poor schmuck. Older Me's just too damn hot and too good a kisser for his own good..."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto was still unconscious as they ran away from Reika, and even in her drunken and pained state, Luna felt a little sorry for him as she started to lose consciousness, which she had been slipping in and out of for quite a while now._

_So much so that she didn't even remember why he was unconscious in the first place, now that she thought about it._

_All she knew was that the Tattoo hurt like hell, she really missed fresh air, and her lips were all tingly for whatever the hell reason. They'd been like that for a while, so she didn't think about the tingly lips much._

_He was still dragging across the splintered wood, up the stairs, all the way into the room they had first met Rei-Rei in as she fought Yoshi._

_There they actually discovered something. A calico diary. "But we can't read this right now!" Kei said to...pretty much himself, considering everyone else was either dead or passed out._

_Suddenly, a purifying light dropped from the ceiling, followed by a giggle from Past Self. It bounced off Naruto's face, activating it, and he stirred as Luna gulped in air, returning to her level-headed self almost immediately._

_"Guh...Where the hell are we, and why does my back sting so much?" Naruto muttered as Luna tried to take deep breaths and brace herself against the Tattoo's pain. _

_Reika just up and disappeared as Kei picked up the calico notebook, letting Luna carefully slip out of his arms in the process._

_Naruto saw her and almost immediately, a huge fox-like grin spread across his face. "Sooo...Where were we?"_

_She gave him a strange look. "...Well, we WERE outside the room, and we went through the door, and now we're INSIDE the room."_

_"No, not THAT, I meant earlier when I...you know..predicted your future," he prompted._

_Luna continued to stare blankly at him, and he drooped. "...You don't remember, do you."_

_"Remember what?"_

_

* * *

_

_He started rolling around, pitching a mega bitch fit while dragging Luna with him due to the damn cuffs. "No. No. NO. No no no no no no no no no NOOOO! NO WAY! YOU **HAVE **TO REMEMBER THAT! IT WAS SO **EPIC**! NO EFFING WAY! You...You...It...I...We...IT WAS SO DAMN HOT, HOW COULD YOU **FORGET **SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"_

_He was practically in tears, and Luna felt pretty bad considering she had no idea what the hell he was going on about._

_He pointed at Kei frantically. "Ky. Old buddy, old pal. PLEASE tell me you remember."_

_"Remember what?" Luna demanded while Kei just sighed and shook his head, flipping open the diary._

_"Does it matter what **I **remember? It's what SHE remembers that counts in this situation, Casanova."_

_"So...Oh, that's SUCH a huge yes! See, we REALLY DID make out, Luna! With your consent! Damn, you were more than happy about it! I swear!"_

_Seeing as he was currently sitting Indian-Style, Luna felt it was safe to get up without being jerked across the room, and crawled over to him to feel his forehead. Her expression was etched with concern._

_"Kei, I'm kinda worried. I think this miasma may be starting to cause hallicunations."_

_Kei couldn't help but laugh out loud at the suicidal expression on Naruto's face. "...She really doesn't remember, Ky. She does NOT remember. Dammit, yet another detail for my random fantasies, right between Miku's and Hinata's, and SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER INSPIRING IT! GODDAMMIT, WHY DOES FATE HATE ME SO?"_

_She patted his back reassuringly, making him jump back. "DON'T touch me, you MONSTER! YOU DAMN HOT MONSTER, WITH REALLY GOOD AND UTTERLY UNFORGETTABLE KISSING SKILLS! GAAAAAHHHH!" He wailed, sobbing dramatically._

_Luna and Kei sweatdropped, and she just made a clicking noise with her tongue. "...Just read the diary, Kei. Please."_


	33. She Wants Your BOD, Naruto!

**Back again! Thanks for the reviews, and thanks KijoKuroi for insisting i have epic title-making skills XD**

**ON WITH THE CHAPP!**

**Remember: Read, review, ENJOY!**

* * *

_Trying their best to ignore Naruto's wailing, Kei read the diary, practically shouting over the blonde idiot of a ninja._

_"**The pain etched into the Priestess**_

_**must have been very deep. The spread**_

_**of the Rift continues. We may not be**_

_**able to stop it even with the Shrine**_

_**of Sleep.**_

_**My body has been halfway engulfed by**_

_**the Rift, and misery surrounds me.**_

_**It's not clear how many days hace**_

_**passed since the Unleashing.**_

_**The only ones left are the young**_

_**handmaidens. I feel pity in doing so,**_

_**but I will instruct Hisame to conduct **_

_**the final impalement.**_

_**We must not allow the Rift to spread.**_

_**Now that I recall, there was an Echo**_

_**Stone Earring in that man's ear.**_

_**He could have been Kyouka's forbidden**_

_**child. Perhaps he came back from **_

_**the village down below?**_

_**If so, then he would be Amane's older**_

_**brother. How sorrowful...**"_

_

* * *

_

_Kei closed it slowly, while Luna sighed thoughtfully. "I am guessing the Mistress who left this notebook, Yashuu Kuze, had the handmaiden she mentioned...Hisame? Yeah, Hisame. I'm guessing she had her impale the other Shrine Maidens to stop the Rift from spreading any further, which failed and only made it spread faster AND further."_

_"How do you know it was Yashuu Kuze?"_

_"This was supposedly her room, according to HER," Luna replied, pointing to her Past Self. She waved her fingers in a girly manner at Kei, who sweatdropped as she skipped over to Naruto._

_"Ya know, Naruto, it's a shame Luuuu-na doesn't remember that epic kissing session. She looked like she was enjoying it," she said slyly._

_Naruto's jaw dropped, eyes wide. Come to think of it, he looked like Luna did at the moment, only he was excited and she was majorly pissed off._

_"Really? Ya really think so?"_

_Past Self giggled impishly. "Why wouldn't she? She TOTALLY wants your bod, Naruto."_

_"EX-CUUUSE ME!"_

_"You're excused!" Naruto and Past Self said in cheerful unison. He grinned at her. "Sooo, you want my bod, huh?"_

_Luna turned bright red. "I-I-I...I, uh, WANT NO SUCH THING!"_

_"Oh, like I'm gonna believe THAT," he replied as he and her Past Self exchanged a fist-bump and she disappeared._

_Luna suddenly realized what Past Self had said, and glared at him. "Naruto Uzumaki, what 'kissing session' was she referring to?"_

_His face fell so quickly that even Kei laughed like a little kid. "U-Uhhh, Loon, don't blame this all on me, dammit! You kissed ME, okay? YOU KISSED **ME**! I happened to...just...you know, return the gesture a couple times? Or three? ...Okay, eight!"_

_"NARUTOOOO, WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU...!"_

_"HOW IS THIS ALL **MY **FAU- OWWW, NO NO NO, PUT IT DOWN, STOP!"_

_Kei winced and turned away from the bloodbath. "...Naruto, even **I **feel sympathy towards you."_

_"That means so much to me Ky, now GET HER THE HELL OFF ME!"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**LATER****...**_

_"Duck!"_

_"I...am getting REALLY tired of this..." Luna hissed, temple throbbing as they hid behind a kimono rack in Britney's room for the eighty-millionth time so far._

_Naruto had doven behind it, landing on top of her, but she didn't dare say anything. The last thing they needed was to have Britney try and attack them while they fought over something idiotic._

_Though that WAS what they did best._

_"I still can't believe your evil Mini Self convinced Britney I was her long-lost lover," Naruto muttered grudgingly._

_Not able to resist, Luna started laughing uncontrollably, making him sweatdrop. "What?"_

_She shook her head. "N-Nothing, just...the thought of you as a lover...for ANYONE...makes me laugh!" She got out between giggles._

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "NEED I REMIND YOU that NOT ONLY did you totally throw yourself at me and kiss me, but you ALSO want my bod. Picturing me as someone's lover shouldn't be too damn hard at this point, Lu-naaa!"_

_HER temple throbbed this time. "You can't prove that!"_

_A sneaky grin spread onto his face. "Oh yeaah?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Then I bet I make you squirm by the time Ky's done with Britney."_

_Luna rolled her eyes. "Naruto, I am not playing these childish games with you right now. I am tired and hungry and am trying to enjoy what little time I have left with air before I run out of it."_

_"Are you suggesting I make you lose your breath?" He teased, making her smack him upside the head._

_"Ow!"_

_"DUMBASS!"_

_He grinned again. "Ya know, I think you're just mad because you know I'm right. I can make you totally uneasy, and you know it!"_

_"You can not!"_

_"Can so!" Naruto leaned down so his forehead was against hers, and unfortunately she could see the necklace's glow reflecting off his face. "It's quite easy. Seeee?"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna didn't move, determined not to turn red or squirm at all. She glared at him instead, making him laugh some more as he leaned up only a little._

_"I'm GONNA make you squirm. You might as well cut your losses and give up now."_

_"No way in heaven or hell."_

_He shrugged. "Fine. Your loss." She simply glared at him some more as he fiddled with her necklace curiously._

_"Ya know...I think I have this thing figured out."_

_"IS that right?" Luna asked in a clipped voice, trying to force down the heat in her face as she felt his hand running alongside her waist and hip._

_"Yep. See, when there're ghosts nearby, it turns this really dark purple, like the well does when you jump through it?"_

_"U-Uhhh, uh-huh," she replied shakily as his hand lingered on her hip, tracing different shapes there above the thin fabric of her shirt._

_"And when you're upset...or NERVOUS...it turns a bright blue..."_

_"Mmmhmm..."_

_"Like it is right now," he added as he started messing with the bottom hem of her shirt._

_"O-Oh. I didn't realize..."_

_"Realize what? That I'm so damn AWESOME?"_

_"Well, there's that.."_

_"Ohhh...you must be referring to how nervous you are right now," he said slyly right by her ear, making her eyes reflexively shut and stay closed._

_He started laughing. "This is fun, I should make you squirm more often."_

_"I have not squirmed, I am simply resting my eyes," she replied dully, but just barely bit back a gasp as his hand slid underneath the hem of her shirt, against her stomach._

_"What do you call THAT, then?"_

_"I call it stretching."_

_"I can stretch too. Gee, my hand feels kinda stiff, maybe IT needs stretching-"_

_"Don't you DARE!"_

_THAT'S about the time they realized there were no more battle sounds, and Kei was currently watching them with wide eyes, jaw on the ground._

_He nearly dropped his camera. "...What the fuckity fuck's going ON with you two lately?"_

_

* * *

_

_"Raging hormones?" Naruto suggested._

_Luna sat up and smacked him repeatedly as she slid out from under him. "GET YOUR PAWS OFF ME, YOU JERK!"_

_"If you recall, I totally had your consent," Naruto pointed out innocently. As if to completely screw her over, the purifying light suddenly blew out completely._

_"What the hell? It had more than half of it left!" Luna shrieked._

_"Bown-chika-chika-BOWN-wow-wow," Past Self's voice started singing. "All ya need is a little PUSH, Luuuuu-na!"_

_Naruto was obviously trying not to laugh as she clambered into his arms, temple throbbing. "Now THAT was pretty damn i-"_

_"Shut up. Just SHUT UP!"_

**_I hate this place._**

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWO ****HOURS LATER...**_

_They had finally figured out that the Pinwheel Key went into a door located in the place that they had first encountered the miasma in._

_Kei ended up leading them to a roof, on which they saw the same man as before walking on the one across from them._

_He eyed the distance warily, while Luna shrugged and tried to slide out of Naruto's grip. "I can jump this. I've done bigger."_

_He grabbed her by the waist at the last second, making her flail mid-air for a moment. "Are you INSANE? With this meeasma, you won't be able to jump much more than a FOURTH of that distance!"_

_Luna's temple throbbed. "MIASMA."_

_"What the hell EVER it's called! Ky, you do it, I'll stay here with her."_

_Kei sighed moodily. "Thanks to you constantly volunteering to stay with her, I'm the only one gaining information on this place."_

_"At least you're good at explaining things, unlike SOME PEOPLE," Luna replied brightly, making Naruto sweatdrop._

_"THIS is the thanks I get for being chivalrous? Oh, wait...why the HELL am I surprised?"_

_"Beats me, you sure shouldn't be," she replied as Kei prepared to jump the rooftops. Luna cheered after he effortlessly made it across._

_"WHOO-HOO! GO KEI! YOU LOOKED LIKE SPIDER-MAN JUST THEN!"_

_Kei grinned before heading through the door on the other side, while Naruto's temple throbbed. "Now how come you can't compare ME to a superhero?"_

_Luna's eyebrows shot up. "Is that a trick question?"_

_He drooped again and slid to sit on the roof, dragging her with him. "Again, why am I so surprised?"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna cleared her throat meaningfully, glancing down at herself. She was on his lap, his arm around her back like it had been when he was carrying her._

_"You can let go now."_

_He glanced down at the roof. "It's covered in snow, and you have no socks or anything on. No matter how many bruises and splinters you've caused me in less than 24 hours, you catching hypothermia is not on my to-do list."_

_"You have a to-do list?" She asked doubtfully._

_"Yep."_

_"And I'm on there?"_

_"Several times."_

_"About what?" She asked, curiosity obvious in her tone._

_Naruto grinned smugly. "Ahhh, I don't think I wanna tell ya. I think I'll let it annoy the hell outta you."_

_She folded her arms across her middle, huffing. "You SUCK."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWENTY-SEVEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_"Hey. Hey. LUNA." She didn't budge, just tilted her face so it was hidden even more against the front of his shoulder._

_She was having trouble breathing again, by the sound of it. He could've sworn he heard a door opening, and only assumed it was Kei._

_Naruto couldn't help but wonder what she thought when she saw him lately._

_...Not like THAT, just...Nine-Tails-wise. She insisted she wasn't mad, but...how could someone not be mad about something like that?_

_So he figured it was one of two things; either she didn't want to admit to HERSELF she was mad at him, or she was trying not to make him feel bad._

_Which made him feel worse than if she had just admitted she was mad at him._

_Naruto felt responsible, he didn't want her to not let him take the blame if he wanted to. Jeez, if he was in Luna's position, he'd be fricking terrified of himself._

_Consider himself a monster._

_As if to prove just how totally off he was on how she percieved him, Luna shifted in his grip, her arms wrapping around the back of his neck._

_Speaking of his neck, he could now feel her breath against it, making him shiver. Naruto couldn't help but laugh to himself._

_"Yep, she finds me downright terrifying..."_

_"Naruto?" She asked suddenly in a slurred voice._

_His ears turned red, not realizing she was still awake. "Uhhh yeah?"_

_Luna paused before shifting yet again, shivering. "When we wake up...If we EVER wake up...Can we just...Lay there for a little while? While I thaw myself out? And, uh...uhhh...can you do that...that arm-rubbing thing? It felt nice."_

_...Well, he didn't see that one coming. "Su-Sure, Loon, no problem."_

_She chuckled to herself, yawning. "Ya know, I really do like it...when you call me that..."_

_Suddenly, everything turned bright white._


	34. The Next Morning And Miku's Tampon

**FINALLY BACK! Whoo-hoo!**

**I better get some reviews, dammit, i practically killed myself trying to find an opportunity to write this and finish it.**

**What with high school, and falling in my pool which caused me to get a contusion (doctor speak for bruising the muscle, and it hurts like a b*tch, lemme tell ya) on my upper thigh, getting SICK on top of that, STILL being sick today...BUT I DID IT! YAY!**

**So enjoy, and REVIEW, i beg of you.**

**Remember those questions, thanks for submitting them, keep 'em coming! Not very many chapps left, yall!**

**Again, enjoy.**

* * *

Luna didn't know if Naruto had woken up yet, she was busy keeping her eyes shut and pretending _she_ hadn't.

Now that the miasma wasn't screwing with her brain, she started turning redder and redder as she thought about what she had asked from him.

Could she be any more of an idiot? Asking him to rub her arm because it FELT NICE?

_You should be face-palmed, Luna, you really should._

Around the time she felt Naruto start to stir, she realized Rei was coming down the stairs, as per usual.

Which meant Miku was down here.

Which MEANT, if she got up right now, she'd have a LOT of explaining to do. "Morning, Miku."

"...Oh...Rei..."

_Jeez, Miku, could you be any more enthusiastic to see her?_ Luna wondered sarcastically.

Naruto started waking up for real this time, and she nudged him with her foot as a signal to quit it.

Which only resulted in him shifting positions and almost smothering her, his arm draped even further and tighter over her.

Luna tried her best not to lose control of her emotions, not wanting to let her necklace give her state away.

If they found out she was awake, she was DEAD.

"Miku, are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yes, just cold."

_Of course you're cold, have you SEEN what you're wearing? I mean, damn._

Rei made a skeptical noise. "Alright, if you say so...Oh! That reminds me, I should probably get those handcuffs off those two before they kill each other..." She trailed off, and Luna felt eyes on her.

As if on cue, Naruto's grip tightened even more around her and his face fell against her collarbone with a snore. Now she REALLY had to try not to let her necklace glow.

From...From annoyance...Yes, from annoyance.

"...Or not. Wow. Handcuffs really _do_ work!"

* * *

Miku made a little cooing noise. "Isn't that sweet?" Rei made a similar cooing noise, and Luna tried her best to not make a face of disgust.

_I think I just threw up in my mouth a little..._

He started moving some more, and she nudged him with her foot again, making him start laughing uncontrollably.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! CAREFUL, CREEPY SHRINE MAIDENS, THAT TICKLES! Hey...Wait...AHHHH! LUNA GIVE 'EM BACK THEIR MALLETS! NOOOO!"

Luna practically kicked him under the blanket (she had no idea how the hell _it _got there), and with a final snore, he was quiet.

Rei sighed and shook her head. "I dunno how the hell that didn't wake her up..."

Miku sighed dreamily. "If I were her, I wouldn't _wanna_ wake up..."

"Oh, I know. She'd kill him."

Miku made a noise of disagreement. "Naaahh, I don't think so. She may not act like it sometimes, but Luna really does have such a high tolerance for him."

"Ehhh, I guess that's true. I would've killed him a long time ago if he pulled the same things on me he did to that kid."

_I am not a KID!_

Miku sighed yet again; that seemed to be her default this morning. "Love is a weird...yet wonderful thing. Isn't it?"

"Mmhmm."

_Love? See, this is why I am glad for the Agency, THIS RIGHT HERE. They have kept me immune from such foolish ideas like love and romance and things of that natu- ..._

Luna's thoughts trailed off into incoherency as his foot ran along hers, then up her leg, making her whole body feel hot and prickly. Odd, considering she had shaved quite recently.

"Hey, that's not a CAT...WATCH OUT!" He shouted groggily.

Luna kicked his roaming foot repeatedly. "OW! Mr. Bigglesworth, THAT HURT!" _Oh great. He's dreaming of Austin Powers at a time like this?_

She could practically hear the sweatdrops in Rei and Miku's tones as the former said slowly, "Miku...Maybe we should..."

"Leave them alone?"

"Yeeeah...A trip to the library with Kei, perhaps? Brush up on Manor of Sleep research?"

"I'LL GO GET HIM!" She all but squealed, causing Luna to try with all her might to keep her temple from throbbing.

For her senpai, Miku sure was immature.

Luna waited rather impatiently for them all to leave, and somehow managed to doze off. How she could do that when laying this close to Naruto Uzumaki of all people was WAY beyond her comprehension.

How she didn't kill him every time he shouted mid-dream, or every time one of his limbs moved and seemed to ALWAYS get dangerously close to her ass or some other hot-and-prickly-feeling-inducing area, or every time he...well, either way, it was a mystery.

A _miracle_, in his case.

* * *

Naruto was jolted out of his crazy dream sequence by the sound of a door shutting. He blinked his eyes open and almost had a spazz-attack when he only saw red before realizing he was looking at Luna's hair.

Further focusing of his eyes concluded that he was looking at the side of her face AND her hair.

Also, she was asleep. "Does that mean that FOR ONCE I didn't talk in my sleep?" He wondered thoughtfully as quietly as possible.

He grinned to himself. "Well hell YEAH! About time!" He glanced around, but the house seemed empty.

Even Yoshino seemed to be off somewhere. He heard the distinct sound of Miku giggling and a car pulling out of the driveway, causing him to draw the conclusion that Rei and Miku were going shopping or something.

Great, that meant STUPID KY was lurking around the house somewhere. Naruto pouted to himself at that thought and attempted to sit up, then grinned slowly after remembering the handcuffs.

What perfect timing. He had the _perfect_ excuse to tick Ky off while seeming totally innocent to everyone else.

...Well, minus Luna. He couldn't help it that she was good at reading people. Yet she COULDN'T read about DAMN KY'S annoyingness? How was _that_ fair?

Naruto tried not to shout in surprise when warmth suddenly radiated against him, and he glanced down to see Luna had rolled right into him, her face against his torso.

His sneaky grin grew even sneakier and more fox-like. "Now THIS is what I call sleeping together. Ky's gonna wanna MUTILATE me," he snickered as he laid back down and shifted Luna so he didn't end up suffocating her.

Getting her close to him again wasn't a problem, she was right back against him almost before he could finish getting comfortable.

Convinced Ky would be coming downstairs and soon tremble with fury any moment now, Naruto kept glancing around every five seconds eagerly while trying not to get distracted.

While the main purpose was to piss Ky off, he'd be flat-out lying if he said he wasn't enjoying this for other reasons.

Even he had to admit, Luna looked so pretty and peaceful when she was asleep and not trying to kill him.

Well...She looked at least a _little_ cute when she was trying to kill him, too, but that was besides the point.

Not that he'd ever let ANYONE in on that. He knew it would come back to bite him in the ass sooner than he could say "Rei-Rei, help me!".

Naruto tapped his finger impatiently on the couch. "Where the hell IS that damn frat-boy folklorist? He's supposed to be green with envy and trying to kill me _right now_!"

* * *

Huffing, he made the mistake of glancing down at Luna, and noticed her necklace was glowing.

"Well damn, I'd love to know what YOU'RE dreaming about," he snickered, pouting a little when she didn't tell him to shut up or anything.

_She must really be out of it..._

Naruto couldn't help it; he'd always wanted to do it to a girl (preferrably Sakura), and there was one right in front of him. So he brushed some stray hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.

He peered at her closer; had he just seen her mouth twitch and almost form a smile?

He sweatdropped as Luna started laughing out of nowhere. "...Oh, right. Forgot she laughed in her sleep."

She started laughing even harder. "Hahahahahahahahaha! ...TACOS."

He laughed and shook his head, not noticing Luna stirring. His laughter slowly trailed off once he looked back down to see her giving him the deadliest glare he'd ever seen.

"Naruto Uzumaki...Remove your hand RIGHT NOW."

* * *

Naruto quickly removed his hand from her ear with a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"Not _that_ hand," was her simple reply.

He tilted his head in confusion before realizing where his other hand was currently draped. He jumped, drawing his hand away from across her chest and folding it behind his head innocently.

"I...had NO IDEA it was there..."

"Of course you didn't," she muttered with a yawn, looking up at the ceiling and counting to ten. Once Luna go to one, they both sighed in relief.

Naruto seemed to forget how lucky he had been not to be shot by her, and started snickering. "Dammit, I wish Ky had come down here and saw my hand on your boobs!"

_**BAM!**_

"Kei's not even here, you dumbass!"

"Ow! ...Wait...You mean...I was touching you and stuff for NOTHING?"

A deadly aura sprang up around Luna as she glared up at him. "Touched me...and...stuff?"

Naruto gulped, trying to sit up, but she already had him pinned in place with one arm. "U-Uhhh, that didn't come out exactly right..."

"YOU THINK?"

_**BAM! BAM!**_

"GAH! HEEEELP!"

"NO ONE CAN HEAR YOUR SCREAMS, NITWIT, I HEARD REI-REI SUGGEST GOING TO THE LIBRARY BEFORE I FELL BACK ASLEEP!"

"AAAHHHHH!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"...Well, I need to use the bathroom, so come on," she said calmly as she got up, jerking him up with her.

Naruto groaned and staggered after her, making a mental count of just how many bruises he could feel already starting to form.

"Lu-naaaa, that HURT!"

"Yeah, well, next time you'll keep your mouth shut, ehhh?"

He huffed and stomped after her. "I think you need anger management." She turned to blink at him innocently. "But why would I need anger management? After all, I take it all out on you, don't I?" She said sweetly.

He mimicked her voice behind her back, but then she stopped abruptly, turning off course to stand in the entrance to the bathroom.

"I thought you had to pee, Daughter of Satan," he whined, pointing towards the toilet room, which was across the hall and a little further down from where they were standing.

"Naruto...Am I the only one seeing the bloody handprints smeared all over Rei's bathroom mirror?" She said slowly.

"I wouldn't know, your BIG EVIL HEAD is blocking my view..." He grumbled as he plopped his head onto her shoulder moodily.

She didn't even yell at him, and he almost immediately saw why. There was indeed bloody handprints smeared all over the mirror.

"L-L-L-LOOOOON?"

"Naruto," she replied calmly.

"PLEASE tell me you're on your period, and that's all it is, PLEASE," he begged. Luna's temple throbbed as she turned to look at him.

"Naruto, if I were on my period, you'd be coming with me to the bathroom every three hours or so. Come on, let's go take a closer look."

"ARE YOU INSANE?" He screeched as she moved to get into the room. He grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back, making her temple throb.

"Naruto, come on, don't be a baby."

"I am NOT being a baby! I just don't wanna DIE!"

"Come ON, it's there for a reason!"

"YEAH, TO LEAD US INTO A DEATH TRAP!"

* * *

Luna sighed exasperatedly and yanked him along by his handcuff, edging into the bathroom. Her necklace pulsated ominously, clouded with a mixture of danger and Luna's own fear.

"M-M-Maybe Miku's on her period! Yeah, and she, uh...she fell, and her tampon was in her hand, and she used the mirror to catch her balance, and that's all it was! Okay, I figured it out, mystery solved, case closed, let's go now!" He said quickly, grabbing Luna by the hand and pulling her towards the exit.

She yanked him back inside, and she ended up stumbling and hitting her head against the mirror. "Owww," she muttered, rubbing her head.

Naruto turned pale as a ghost and pointed a shaky finger at something behind her. "Luna, Luna, Loon...L...L-L-LUNA, WHAT THE SHITCAKE IS THAT?"

* * *

Luna turned around just in time to see a Needle Woman crawl out of the mirror as she staggered back and fell into Naruto, making them both crash to the floor, frozen in fear.

"This...is...SO MESSED UP!" They shouted as Needle Woman tumbled onto the ground and made the Grudge-Girl-Slash-Hissing noise at them.

Trembling with fear, Luna debated whether or not to hide her face against him, and settled with pulling his arm in front of her and covering the lower half of her face with it.

As Needle Woman stood up, causing them both to scream bloody murder, she slowly faded away, disappearing completely right before she grabbed Naruto.

They stayed sprawled out on the floor for a second, breathing heavy, her nails digging into his arm.

"...Naruto?"

"Yeah."

"I, um...Can you help me up before I make a puddle on the floor? Because I can honestly admit I almost did just then."

He helped her up, her nails still digging into his arm as she tried to stop trembling. He laughed nervously. "You weren't the only one. In fact, I need to use the bathroom after you."

"By all means."

"Are you still pissed at me for this morning?"

"Naruto, right now, I'm just trying to think straight. Do you honestly want to make me angry all over again on top of being numb with fear?"

"Absolutely not, let's go pee! By the way, you look pretty damn sexy today with your hair all messy like that," he said innocently as she dragged him towards the toilet room.

"Naruto, shut up. JUST SHUT UP."


	35. Showers, Massages, And Cheating!

**Back again! Looong chapp, but i have a feeling you'll like it regardless.**

**Hate to keep harping on the questions, but i just dont wanna end up with six more questions right after i post the ones i already have, so get 'em in as soon as you can! only a few chapps left, at least 3, but i dont know how many after that once things get a bit more hectic in the Fatal Frame World!**

**Enjoy, and REVIEW!**

* * *

"Lu-naaaa!"

Her temple throbbed as she continued to try and scrub the blood off her hand and head. Stupid bloody mirror, stupid Needle Woman, STUPID-

"Naruto!" She shouted, concluding her mental tirade.

"I'm bored," he said simply. "Can we go do something?" Luna sighed. "Nooo, you can STAND THERE while I try my best to WASH THE BLOOD OFF ME!"

He rattled the handcuffs agitatedly. "Come onnnn. We're handcuffed together, we might as well make good use of it!"

_**BAM!**_

"OWWWW!"

"PERVERT!"

He rubbed the side of his face moodily. "Not THAT kind of use! Jeez!" Luna shrugged. "How is one supposed to know with YOU, Naruto?" She replied dully.

"Because usually I grin, or waggle my eyebrows, at least WINK or SOMETHING!" He said defensively.

Her temple throbbed. "I am not _Miku_."

"So?"

"SO, you never wink at me. Or waggle your eyebrows. And when you grin, it is usually at my expense. Therefore, I have no choice but to take nearly everything you say that can be twisted into something perverted, and assume you meant it to be taken that way."

He huffed again. "...I wink at you."

"Do NOT!"

"Do SO!"

"Name ONE TIME!"

"FINE, THERE WAS- ...Wait, no... Well, there was that ONE time you- ...No, I just stared at your lingerie that time...Ummm...Well, WHAT ABOUT THAT TIME I- ...Oh, sorry, that was Miku..."

Luna had been sweatdropping throughout that entire monologue, and her temple throbbed as he stared off in thought. "...Huh. I'll think of one, gimme a second!"

_**BAM!**_

"OW!"

"Don't think so hard, you'll pop a blood vessel," she said simply.

He glared at her. "Good point. Why would I do that when YOU can pop one FOR ME!" Luna smiled. "Exactly!"

He mimicked her as she dragged him along, then ended up running into her when she stopped abruptly, turning back to the bathroom. "De ja freaking vu," he muttered, rubbing his sore nose.

Luna turned to look at him. "Narutooo?"

"WHAT."

"I want a shower."

Naruto stared at her for a second, then pointed at her and started laughing nervously.

...He then keeled over with a perverted nosebleed.

* * *

Luna sweatdropped, managing to stay upright by gripping the doorway. "...I think he misunderstood."

He jumped up quickly, almost scaring her, looking WAY too eager. "No, I understood completely! SHOWER TIME! WHOO-HOO! Need help getting that top off?" He said, talking a mile a minute as he slipped off his shirt without hesitation.

Her temple throbbed, and she simply kneed him in the gut before stomping over to the shower and turning the water on. "_I_...am taking a shower. ALONE."

Naruto stopped mid-jump, boxers halfway off, to pout at her. "...Then what about me?" He slided up next to her, grabbing her wrist and shaking it to make her handcuff rattle.

"We're handcuffed _together_. _Remeeeember_?" He said slyly with a wink AND grin. A triumphant one, at that.

Luna glared at him for the longest time, and finally, he slid open the door to the shower. "Ladies first."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

The hot water felt amazing beating against her skin. It always amazed Luna how much a night or two in the Manor of Sleep strained her muscles.

Then again, running around evading ghosts and battling them wasn't exactly a cakewalk.

Becs said that the only things better than a hot bath or shower for the human body were sex and massages.

Luna wouldn't know about either of those, never having had them, but she imagined they were quite nice.

She traced the throbbing Tattoo trailing all over her body, sighing miserably. If a massage would soothe her aching skin, she'd do just about anything for one.

EXCEPT one thing.

Naruto tried to bribe her with a massage in exchange for letting him in the shower, but she figured a massage from HIM wouldn't be much of a massage at all in the first place.

Hence why he was still whining, _outside_ the shower.

"This SU-U-U-UCCCKKKS! LU-_NAAAA_! THIS SINK'S WAY TOO SMALL!"

Her temple throbbed. Surely he would've given up his moping by now if he were smart. "Naruto, even if I WAS to let you in here...IF I was...the more you whine, the less enthused I would be about it. SO SHUT THE HELL UP!"

He let out a sigh heavy enough to temporarily drown out the water drumming against the top of her head. "This SUCKS. My wrist hurts, you're making it _streeetch_!"

"I'll get you some ice for it or something when I get out, you whimp."

"I'M NOT A WHIMP! I AM SIMPLY A DUDE SUFFERING FROM BEING DENIED HIS DUDELY NEEDS!" He wailed.

Luna's temple throbbed. "Maybe Miku'll ask you to rub lotion on her back or something. I'm sure you could find other ways of fulfilling your 'dudely needs' without dragging ME into it."

Naruto huffed again. "Yeeeah, but we're HANDCUFFED TOGETHER! Either way, _you'll_ get dragged into it! Might as well be in a way where I can see your _Rockin_' Spy Bod-"

He was cut off by Luna throwing a spare bar of soap at his head. "OW, GODDAMMIT!"

"If you want to bathe yourself, you need soap, _don't_ you?" She said innocently.

She could barely contain her laughter after seeing his temple throb quite clearly through the shower door. "Nooo...I wanted...A _SHOWER_! WITH _YOU_! DAMMIT!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't read the newspaper today. Did they report snowballs flying throughout hell?"

"No..."

"Oh. Well, what about sightings of flying pigs?"

"...Luna, what the hell kind of drugs are you taking?"

"Well, if they aren't in the news, than the requirements have not yet been met to deem it a proper time for NARUTO UZUMAKI TO JOIN LUNA SASAKI IN THE SHOWER!" She screeched.

* * *

She rolled her eyes as she heard crashing. "I'm okay Loon, don't panic, nothing broke! Soap just slipped, is all!"

"Naruto, does it _look_ like I care?"

"I can't see, hold on, lemme just OPEN THE DOOR..."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Luna shouted, yanking the towel off the door and wrapping herself inside it in record time, right before the aforementioned shower door was swung open with a sarcastic shout of "WHOOPS, SORRY!".

Naruto looked around eagerly, while she glared at him. His face fell, and she continued to glare at him, tapping her fingers against the wall impatiently.

He pouted. Her eyes narrowed even further.

"...Aww, no fair!"

_**BAM! BAM! CRASH! THUD.**_

"Owww..." They both moaned, rubbing their heads, which had bonked together on the way down.

"Reeeally didn't think that through, did ya, Loon?" He said smugly.

She huffed. "No."

* * *

He helped her up, causing her to yelp and grip her towel as if her life depended on it. He rolled his eyes and threw her clothes at her head. "Get dressed, ya clutz."

"I am NOT a CLUTZ!"

Naruto laughed as if she had just told the world's funniest joke and turned away like a good little ninja as she hopped into her clothes. "Whatever you say."

"Naruto, turn around ALL the way. I SEE you trying to look through the mirror," she replied with a temple throb.

"...DAMMIT!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"...Luna?"

"...What..."

"You never told me what you're doing," he said matter-of-factly. She inhaled deeply again, trying to make him go away with her mind. "I am meditating."

"Meditating," he repeated.

"Have you never meditated before, _besides_ for an assignment or because your sensei told you?"

"Nooope. Never saw the point."

"Probably because one of the main points of meditation is to relieve the body and mind of stressful factors in daily life, such as yourself. It's quite illogical for a fellow nuisance to get rid of nuisances in life," she replied dully.

Even with her eyes closed, she could imagine his temple throb pretty vividly. "So YOU say. I happen to know that LOTS of girls don't find me the least bit annoying."

"Go bother THEM, then," she replied carelessly.

"Aww, you're no fun when you're doing this meditation crap! C'mon, get into that state of mind that makes it easy for me to rile ya up," he whined.

Luna sighed exasperatedly. "Naruto, in case you haven't noticed, I have a very cold and painful Cursed Tattoo spreading across my body, and it refuses to go away. This meditation is the only thing keeping me from ripping my hair out in frustration at the moment. I highly doubt you want to see me rip my hair out and go clinically insane, am I right?"

There was a silence.

"...Riiiight," he agreed grudgingly. There was a rather loud _**THUMP**_, and the slack in the handcuff chain indicated he had finally sat down.

"Is it really _that_ bad? The Tattoo?"

Her temple throbbed, and she struggled to stay in her zone. "Is that a trick question? Imagine plunging into an ocean in the middle of winter, combined with that pins and needles feeling you get every so often."

"The one you get when your foot falls asleep?"

"No...No, more like the random one that you usually get in your hands, and it feels kind of hot?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh. Well, they suck, they're about three times worse than your foot falling asleep."

* * *

"I didn't even think that was possible," he said in amazement. Luna sweatdropped at his simplicity, then sighed heavily.

"Strangely, that surprises me. The hell if I know why. In other words, yes, it really is that bad."

"...Oh." There was silence again, sweet, precious silence. Luna was JUST ABOUT to let herself believe maybe the silence would genuinely last.

Maybe Naruto understood how much pain she was in and would leave her be.

Maybe he'd do something productive, like read.

Maybe he'd-

"LUNA, LET'S PLAY UNO!" He said suddenly, making her jump so hard she fell flat on her back.

She stared up at him- glared, really. Luna let out a long drawn-out sigh. Though she hated to admit it, it was hard to say no to him when he got all eager like that. He was currently bouncing in place and staring down at her hopefully.

"...Fine. You deal."

"YES! I'LL GET THE CARDS!"

"Naruto, they're right there," she said while stretching her hands towards the sky, gesturing at Rei's coffee table.

"Oh, right. Let the games begin," he said with an eager chuckle.

Luna smiled and shook her head. "Just shuffle the cards and deal 'em, so I can whoop your ass at one of the world's greatest pastimes."

* * *

"Miku...Miku...MIKU," Rei hissed, making her friend's head jerk up right before it hit the book.

Miku glanced around; Kei was sweatdropping and Rei was trying not to laugh. "You, uh...dozed off mid-sentence, Miku?"

She laughed nervously. "O-Ohhh, sorry. I just...I'm so tired lately. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for," Kei replied gently.

"Just kind of funny," Rei added with a repressed laugh.

Miku sweatdropped. It was rather unlike Rei to be so carefree. Well, lately, anyways. Rei had always been a friendly and outgoing person, but after Yuu's death...

She was less-than-carefree, to put it simply. _Perhaps Luna and Naruto really are helping us all lighten up_, Miku observed as Kei cracked some kind of dirty joke she had only half-listened to.

"Maybe we should call it a day," Kei said between laughs. Rei's laughter slowly trailed off. "Oh, right. DAMMIT! I left those two in MY HOUSE, unsupervised, HANDCUFFED TOGETHER!"

Miku glanced out the window thoughtfully. "Who knows what they're doing right now..." That scary thought got them all up and moving like speeding bullets, practically flying to Rei's car.

_It would really sadden me if Luna murdered him while I was gone..._

* * *

After not only nearly getting caught by a cop but almost running over three cats and a couple children playing in the street, Rei got them home in record time.

Miku took her time getting out of the vehicle while the other two leapt out and rolled across the lawn, almost as if expecting objects to fly out through her windows.

"Miku, aren't you worried?" Rei asked.

She shrugged, fiddling with her auburn hair and wondering if she should take it down. Her whole body was pained and tingly lately, and that included her head.

Was this some weird puberty symptom or something? Hadn't Luna mentioned feeling pained and prickly a couple days ago?

"I don't hear any gunshots, no screams, ...nothing suggesting immediate danger."

Kei nodded, preparing to break down the door. "Yes, that's what worries me. It's obvious to see what kind of looks Naruto's been giving her, the pervert. And mark my words, if that little brat's done _anything_ to Luna, I just might-"

"NOT break Rei's door," Rei finished for him with a sweatdrop, handing him the house keys. He laughed anxiously and used the house keys like a normal person, making Miku sigh and shake her head.

If this was how he acted about _Luna's_ personal affairs, her heart went out to his niece when she started bringing boys home to meet her dear Uncle Kei.

The door swung open, exposing them to a...rather disturbing argument.

"NARUTO, THAT'S SO NOT LEGAL!"

"IT'S ONLY ILLEGAL IF YOU WHIP IT OUT TOO SOON, AND I WAS RIGHT ON TIME!"

"THERE IS NO TIMING WITH THINGS LIKE THIS!"

"I BEG TO DIFFER! I SAW THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE, YOU WERE PRACTICALLY BEGGING ME TO WHIP IT OUT!"

"WHY WOULD I WANT THAT? THAT'D MEAN I LOST!"

"I think we both can grow from this," was his simple reply.

Luna sighed exasperatedly. "Whatever, whatever, just get it out of your pants and let's go for round three."

They were all pale (with the exception of Kei, who was green) and had massive sweatdrops. Miku was the first to speak. "Did we really just...Am I the only one who heard that dialogue?"

* * *

Rei shook her head, and Kei marched in there. "JUST WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK YOU'RE DO- ...Oh. Oh no way. Are you kidding me?"

Rei and Miku ran in next. "PLEASE tell me you two used protection, because IF NOT, I swear I'll personally rip your p-..."

Rei trailed off, jaw on the floor. Miku tried not to laugh, but it was near impossible. Naruto and Luna were sitting on the floor beside the coffee table, playing cards.

CARDS.

Naruto slowly took the Wild and Draw 3 cards out from within his pants leg and set them on the Discard Pile carefully.

"...I was just trying to win a few extra points, jeez."

"'Use protection'? _Protection _isn't involved in _Phase 10_," Luna said slowly in confusion.

"Phase 10," Rei stated with another sweatdrop. The two nodded. "We WERE playing Uno, but Naruto insisted I was cheating at that and demanded to play Phase 10," Luna explained.

Naruto nodded. "I still think she cheated," he mumbled moodily.

The three older occupants of Rei's house sweatdropped even MORE, and Miku finally erupted into giggles as she undid her hair.

Naruto watched in awe as it tumbled down her shoulders, some of it straight and some of it wavy. "Holy crap. Miku, what kind of hair were you HIDING in that ponytail-slash-bun-thing?"

Luna fingered her shorter auburn hair almost unconsciously before shuffling the cards, and Miku smiled. "According to Luna, that's your way of complimenting people. So thank you, Naruto! If you all would excuse me, I'm really tired..."

"Night!" Naruto called out cheerfully. Miku giggled again and ruffled his hair as she passed by, making him grin suggestively at Luna, who rolled her eyes.

"Night, Miku."

"Goodnight, Luna."

* * *

Kei and Rei wached in disbelief as they played another round of Phase 10, but they were halfway through when Luna rubbed the back of her neck for about the eightieth time and sighed tiredly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm feeling even worse. I'm calling it a night."

Naruto's temple throbbed. "Of course you are, I was about to _win_." He stood up with her, and Rei took the handcuff key out of her pocket. "Oh, right, sorry."

She undid the handcuffs and they fell to the ground, but Naruto's grip remained on her arm. "...You don't have to get dragged around anymore," Luna informed him.

He shrugged, helping her over to the other couch. "I know, but I can tell you're really hurting. The whole point of you being here is so I can _protect _you, right?"

"And so _I _can protect _you_," she added quickly, but he just waved her off. "Whatever. I'm still supposed to protect YOU, so shut up and lemme do it!"

Miku watched from the bottom of the stairs, having come back down to get some medicine for her headache.

She smiled as a tiny smile crossed Luna's face, she could see it clearly in the glow of her necklace.

She could also clearly see, as could the other two, that the cause of her pain was her Tattoo, which was still etched onto her skin.

Plain as day. "Luna...Why is your Tattoo still there?" Kei asked carefully.

Naruto's temple throbbed. "You _just now _noticed that? Wayta go, Captain Obvious. Or, I guess...Captain OBLIVIOUS."

Kei's temple throbbed as he scowled menacingly, while Luna just sighed tiredly. "Knock it off, I'm not in the mood. It's been staying on my skin since I woke up, that's all I know."

"I'll get you some pain relievers, I was on my way to get some for my headache," Miku commented as she strolled into the kitchen.

Luna nodded appreciatively, leaning into the couch with a yawn. Rei glanced at Kei before rolling her eyes and, pushing him by the shoulders, marched him up the stairs.

"Come on, Mr. Amakura, we all need to be getting some sleep while we still can."

* * *

After giving Luna some medicine, Miku went to her room. Luna's Past Self was there to greet her.

Miku jumped back and shut her door behind her quickly before anyone else could see them, putting a hand to her heart. "Good GOD, you scared the HELL out of me."

"As I should," She replied ominously. She tapped Miku's shoulder, making her flinch away. "You're that girl that lost her big bro, right? He chose to run off with some dead chick in a cave with no food or water? Good call, Mafuyu, good call! Damn, you must've been one unbearable sibling to make him wanna basically commit suicide AND necrophilia."

Her words stung, and Miku's fists clenched. "You have no right to talk of Mafuyu as if you knew him. There is a good reason for everything he does."

"DID. There WAS a good reason for everything he DID," Past Luna corrected coldly as she circled the young adult.

"He leeeft you, Miku. Just like my mommy left ME after my daddy died. We're both the leftovers, the unwanted ones. Luna's Tattoo's growing. It refuses to go away, she's forced to face every sorrowful thing she's ever faced. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't already turned to ash."

Past Luna suddenly appeared right in front of her, pulling Miku's face down by her hair to look her in the eyes.

In those dead, cold brown eyes.

_**"How long do YOU have, Miku Hinasaki?"**_

And just like that, Miku was alone. Alone again.

* * *

Luna laid there, trying to repress the images threatening to surface. Images of past targets she had killed, images of Alex, images of killing the Sasakis.

During the day, what with being handcuffed to Naruto of all people, she was met with distractions galore to keep her from reflecting on these painful things.

_But now..._

The Tattoo hurt so _much_. Did _all _tattoos hurt like this? Did Becs' sparrow on her lower stomach pain her this much?

Something told Luna that was highly unlikely.

A pair of hands plopped onto her shoulders, making her jump. "Dammit, Naruto, way to make me have a coronary," she hissed.

He flipped onto her couch as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She discovered they were wet. That explained why her lips were salty.

"This Tattoo...It's almost like it's _killing _ya, Loon. I haven't seen you this torn up before," he muttered as she wiped at her eyes.

"It IS killing me, Naruto. That's kind of the point," She snapped. His hands stayed on her shoulders as she continued to struggle with the images.

"It's strange, the effects of this Tattoo. It is almost as if it's sucking the life out of me...by making me constantly picture every wrong and terrible thing I've done over and over...And the pain...The pain's like nothing you could possibly imagine."

Luna smiled at him halfheartedly. "You're lucky the Nine-Tails is so focused on self-preserverance, otherwise you'd be just as much of a wreck as me."

He stared at her for a really long time, even after she attempted to avert his gaze by staring at the closed doors to the garden outside.

Out of nowhere, his thumbs started gently rubbing her shoulders, making her jump. AGAIN. "What're you doing?"

"Doing what I can to make you feel better. It'd be nice if you didn't die on me or anything all because of some dumbass Tattoo," was his simple reply as he slowly worked his way around.

* * *

Up and down her shoulders, down her arms, to her wrists. When his hands moved to the small of her back, she hissed in a breath, and he paused.

"Want me to stop?"

She shook her head stiffly. "O-Oh...Hell no. This is the most relief I've felt since I woke up," she admitted a little breathlessly.

She could see the grin on his face as he continued, and she closed her eyes. Luna couldn't really describe the relief she felt; it was as if every area he touched turned calm, she felt almost no pain at all mere _moments_ afterward.

Was he using chakra? Was it some kind of effect the Nine-Tails' portion of his blood had on the Tattoo?

...Maybe he just had magic fingers. Yeah, probably.

Instead of going up the rest of her back, he went to her sides, skirting the outside edges of her stomach.

Luna was kind of impressed; he remembered she was extra sensitive to people touching her near her stomach, and was actually HEEDING that.

Don't ask her why, but she was totally unnerved by people touching her stomach. Took Will YEARS to pick that one up, and it only took Naruto a matter of weeks.

Then again, he was a lot better at pushing her buttons than her big brother was. How ironic.

Luna got tired of waiting and grabbed his hands, pushing them towards her stomach impatiently, ready for it to feel relieved along with the rest of her.

She huffed as he chuckled to himself. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, not a thing."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

She was glad he didn't reply, because once he started rubbing away the Tattoo's pain on her stomach, she sort of...lost the ability to talk, really.

She decided she should let people touch her stomach more often, especially for things like this, this... "Naruto?"

"Huh?"

"Would this be considered a massage?"

He sweatdropped. "What did you THINK I was doing?" Luna shrugged. "I was just asking a que-" She cut off with a sharp intake of breath as he continued moving down her stomach, to her upper thighs.

"...A qu-q-question," she stammered, shutting her eyes again.

He paused, and quite frankly, she wanted to soccer-punch him for it. "You can tell me if you want me to stop, ya know."

"I'll tell you this: stop again just because I react strangely, and I just might shoot you," she replied, making him laugh again and keep going.

With every circle his thumbs made on her thighs, she leaned back more and more, trying to resist the urge to sigh with relief.

Or moan with...okay, _pleasure_, THANK YOU Mother Nature for the hormones.

Sigh or moan. Whichever came out first.

Either one would cause him to tease her later on to NO END. You would think the further down he moved, the less intense pressure she'd feel, but it kind of just increased in strength.

_Greeeat._

"Probably a stupid question, but you feelin' better now?" He asked suddenly, right by her ear. It took her a second to realize he was so close because her head was currently against the crook of his neck.

"U-Uh-huh, yes."

"Do you want me to stop now?"

"No w-way," she stammered as he went to her knees before traveling back up, rubbing each area he passed briefly on his way to return to her back.

She bit down on her lip so hard she almost drew blood, all to keep the moan rising in her throat IN her throat once he passed by her upper thighs again.

Apparently she was more sensitive there than her stomach by about _ten_, and leave it to Naruto to be the one to make her painfully aware of that. Stupid hormones.

* * *

It must've been around the time he got back up to her shoulders that she fell asleep, and he shook his head in disbelief at the very fact she let him _do _all that.

Naruto twisted her around in his grip, laying her down gently, and looked at her Tattoo. Thanks to her tank top and short boxers, he could see quite a bit of it.

It almost looked...calmer. If that was possible. It felt kind of good to know he was the reason it hurt so much less.

Naruto didn't really get why he got the idea to do it in the first place, much less how it managed to actually WORK.

Maybe it was seeing Iruka-Sensei massage Shizune's shoulders so often that brought it into his head?

He grinned a little as she laughed gently in her sleep before wrinkling up her nose at a few stray pieces of bang that were tickling her face.

He brushed them back to the right, with the rest of her side-bangs, making her slap the air and turn over on her side with a cough.

Naruto sweatdropped and shook his head before going over to his couch and stretching out. "Weeeeelll...Back we go into the MANOR OF GAY," He muttered moodily as he closed his eyes.


	36. Lullabies Out The YinYang

**Back! I tried to fit this whole dream sequence into one chapp, but i had to stop, so it's gonna be a 2-Parter.**

**Sorry!**

**Oh well, ya'll dont mind. Right? RIGHT!**

**Hahaha enjoy, and as always, please review. **

**Aaaand i figure i dont have to keep reminding you about the questions at this point. thanks to all those who sent some in already, don't be shy those who havent!**

**Oh, and also. For future reference, when people are singing?**

**Past Self's lines that she sings herself (or any other ghost, really) are written like this author's note, in regular bold.**

**Luna's are written like _this_.**

**Lines they sing together are like _this__._**

**_THAT IS ALL, ENJOY! AND REVIEW! =)_**

* * *

_Luna woke up to see Miku standing up and staring at something above them. She sat up and stretched, scratching her head. "Damn, I must've fallen asleep during my massage," she muttered mournfully._

_THAT got Miku's attention. She glanced down at the younger teen. "Massage? What massage?" _

_Luna flushed, looking at her bare toes innocently. "O-Ohh, uhhh...nothing. Nothing." Miku sweatdropped, but just shook her head. "Whatever you say. ...Either way, it looks as if the woman hasn't woken up yet."_

"_What woman?"_

"_The woman in the cell."_

_She pointed to a cage hanging above them, and Luna nodded slowly. "Ohhh, right! I forgot about this room."_

"_We should be able to get to the cell if we head up to the second level..." Miku said thoughtfully. Luna felt a twinge of worry towards Miku for whatever reason, but shook it off. Her hormones HAD just moments ago been raging more than Ichigo's rage when Rukia stole his last Kit-Kat on the plane ride to Tokyo, which was really saying something._

_That was probably all it was. Hormones._

_They suddenly heard the familiar yawning and grunting that usually accompanied Naruto regaining consciousness, and it was quickly followed by a rather loud **THUD**._

"_Ow! Dammit, why do I manage to find the ONE plank that's lifted up JUST ENOUGH to make me trip?" He grumbled, rubbing his knee and standing back up._

_Luna just rolled her eyes. "Three...two...one-"_

"_MIKU!" He shouted, right on cue. She rolled her eyes again as Miku giggled. "You'd think he was trained or something."_

"_OH FINALLY! NO KY TRYING TO FEEL UP MINORS!"_

**_BAM!_**

"_OW!"_

"_Dammit, stop saying that before someone takes it literally!" Luna shouted. Naruto sweatdropped. "Someone...Like who? It's just us around here. Well, minus the ghosts, but I highly doubt they'll be able to spread a rumor about Ky too far..."_

_Her temple throbbed. "It's the principle of the thing."_

"_It's stupid, is what it is. I can't help it that minor teenage girls get him hot-"_

**_BAM!_**

"_STOP SAYING THAT! IT'S NOT TRUE AND YOU KNOW IT!"_

_Miku sighed exasperatedly. "Luna, Naruto, can we PLEASE just go check out the second level, and the cell? With the girl in it? Who might help us RELEASE THE CURSE?" _

_Luna instantly shut up, rubbing the arm portion of her Tattoo self-consciously. "...Good idea. C'mon Naruto, stop making me beat the shit out of you and let's go."_

"_LUNA, I- ...Oh, just forget it. I might as well be talking to a brick wall."_

"_Yes, indeed. Because I sure as hell am not listening."_

"_I knoooowww..."_

* * *

"_**Amane...You broke the Commandments...How could you lead a man to the Kuze Shrine?" **_

_That was the lovely sentiment they were greeted with as Miku opened the door and they went up the stairs._

_It was coming from the big white tent, and Luna promptly hauled ass to the stairs leading up to the second floor and the mini-library thing._

_She went up the stairs just in time to see a man in a blue kimono power-walking up them a little ways in front of her. Luna paused and took a picture with her Camera Obscura, and Miku ran into her. "Sorry," she apologized, and Luna waved her off. "Sorry, my bad. That guy could only be Kaname."_

_With that, she took the steps two at a time, getting greeted by a Shrine Maiden. Luna snapped a picture as she rose up from the floor and tried to hammer her foot._

_Three Fatal Frames later, Naruto scratched his head in thought. "Hey, Loon...Don't you think it's kind of weird they kind of RESPECT Miku and Rei, while they seem to sort of HATE you and us dudes?"_

_Luna shrugged. "Probably because they must think one of the two might be their new Priestess. However, you and Kei are males. And I have red hair. Therefore we're automatically ruled out."_

_Miku groaned. "Awww, lucky!"_

_Naruto and Luna sweatdropped, and they went up into the tiny room to see a purifying light on the floor._

"_Does this mean...we STILL have to deal with miasma?" Luna whined._

_Naruto pulled a candle out of his pocket, which he didn't remember being there before; it was almost completely burnt out. "Aw, DAMMIT! Hey Loon, you stand by this new purifying light, and I'll go with Miku to check out this room over here," Naruto commanded as he headed for the door to the room with the flickering lights._

_Luna's temple throbbed. "Yes sir."_

_

* * *

_

_She sighed and plopped down, secretly glad she didn't have to look at Past Self's creepy threat on the wall._

_Luna fiddled with the candle they were already using, then traced her Tattoo absently. It was odd; Rei's Tattoo (and other ones she'd seen) were a dark blue color. Yet hers was sapphire, with a shade of green mixed in. _

_Figures she'd be the odd one out, story of her life. _

_She winced as another throb of pain surged through her, right underneath her skin. For whatever reason, at that moment, Luna realized she could die._

_She could. If she had the Tattoo too long, if it spread too far...she was done for. The next wave of pain made tears come to her eyes, rolling down her cheeks._

_Just as she thought she couldn't feel worse, she suddenly heard Past Self's voice wafting through the room._

"**You lie...suddenly before me. Your tears...They mean nothing to me...The wind...howlin' at the window. The love you never gave, I give to you.."**

"_...What?"_

"**Really don't deserve it, but now...There's nothing you can do. So sleep...In your only memory...of me, my...dearest mother."**

_Mother? Luna's eyes widened. She knew this song!_

"**Here's a lullaby to close your eyes." **_**"Goodbye," **Luna sang quietly. _**"It was always you that I despised..." **

"**I don't feel enough for you to cry." **_**"Oh well." **_

"**Here's a lullaby to close your eyes..."**__**"Goodbye.**_ **Goodbye****...Goodbye...**"_

"_**Goodbye."**_

_Past Self suddenly appeared in front of her, shaking her head. _**"So insignificant," **_she sang with a mocking laugh before fading away._

_Luna shook her head. "Great. Now that song's stuck in my head. What the hell was the point of that?"_

_Naruto came running in, Miku not far behind and looking flustered. "Where'd you hear that song?" He demanded._

_

* * *

_

_She blinked at him for a second. "Errr...What?"_

"_That song we heard you singing! Where'd you hear that? I never told you about that song, I never told ANYONE about that song!"_

_Luna stood up quickly, a bit unnerved by his sudden anger. "I-It's just...A **song**, Naruto. No big deal."_

"_Just answer my question, where'd you hear it? Did one of those kids tell you about it? Huh? Did my mom? Is that what you two were talking about when she made that bubble thing?"_

_She stared at him blankly. _What the hell's his deal? _He gripped her by the shoulders. Hard. "Tell me where you heard it! Just fucking tell me!"_

"_It's a song I used to know as a kid! My Mini-Self made me remember it just now. Naruto, what the hell's the matter with you?"_

_Naruto stared at her for a second, his grip on her tensing and untensing, and finally he let her go before looking at anything and everything but her. "...Nothing. Forget I asked."_

_Her temple throbbed. "Kinda hard to forget about it when you nearly cut off circulation in my upper arms."_

_Miku sweatdropped as she grabbed the new purifying light, making it a ton easier for Luna to breathe. "That's...probably not the right thing to say, Luna."_

_She shrugged and climbed down the ladder, Miku and Naruto soon following. "Let's just keep going, guys."_

_

* * *

_

_Once they got downstairs again, they realized the big white tent was open now, and Luna was the first to get in there._

_Naruto was lagging behind, looking very pensive, and she decided it was best to leave him alone. _

"_I found another one of Yashuu's diaries," Miku announced. They both looked at her as she cleared her throat._

* * *

"_**One of the Handmaidens led a man who came to offer **_

_**his pain into the Kuze Shrine and so tattoos have **_

_**entered the Priestess' eyes and the doors to the Chamber **_

_**of Thorns have opened.**_

_**We should never have let a man enter the Shrine. No matter**_

_**who it was, we should never have engraved the Priestess'**_

_**empty eyes.**_

_**Now that I have felt the pain of the Holly as well, even I**_

_**am not allowed outside.**_

_**Before the Rift that has spilled forth from the Kuze Shrine**_

_**spreads any further, we must find a way to shut the Shrine**_

_**within the Rift. We must summon shrine carpenters and **_

_**seal the Kuze Shrine.**_

_**Many sacrificial pillars will be required. We should have**_

_**cast that man away. Just as we did the male scholar**_

_**who wandered here...**"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna nodded slowly. "So it's true. If the Tattoo reaches the eyes of those bearing it, they turn to ash. And if it reaches the Priestess' eyes, the Rift is unleashed."_

_Miku turned deathly pale, and that's when realization suddenly dawned on her. She and Rei weren't the only ones with the Tattoo. _

_She glanced at Naruto before giving Miku a look that clearly read "We've gotta talk later," and she nodded quickly. "Yes, later."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**TWO ****HOURS LATER...**_

_After an insane amount of time wasted getting lost and having to keep Naruto from strangling the "Demon Boy" kids that occasionally taunted him, they followed the Shrine Maidens' voices as they sang the Sleeping Priestess Lullaby. _

_All the way to a room with a mummy in the corner (who looked way too creepy and happy than they all liked). _

_In the other end of the room was a reed changing screen, behind which the song seemed strongest. Once Miku got near, the song went away, and in its place were the sounds of a girl sobbing. "Help me..."_

_Luna took a picture of the Shrine Maiden, and Miku picked up the book that was left in the girl's place. "It's a...Comandment Tome."_

_Luna gasped, eyes widening. "I think I know where to take that! WE GOT A LEEEEADD!"_

_She sped ahead of them as Naruto absently grabbed a purifying light. Luna slowed down a little, preferring to stay a little near him._

_He had been acting distant ever since that damn song sequence, and she didn't like it. Miku read it as they walked._

* * *

"**_The chosen maiden is put onto_**

**_the Boat of Passing._**

**_The boat sways as it is sent to_**

**_the Kuze Shrine._**

**_The Living flesh is cut, _**

**_the tattoos etched in._**

**_Pain of the Holly shall be_**

**_sealed within her._**

**_All her love shall be interred into_**

**_a mirror._**

**_This she must break, shatter herself._**

**_Her attachments to this world_**

**_must be broken._**

**_The Piercing of the Soul thus concludes._**

**_Impale her with the stake of tattoos._**

**_The Rite of Commandment must be conducted._**

**_Sleeping undisturbed for eternity._**

**_Dreaming the endless dream of the Rift._**

**_Enclosed, entombed in her Chamber_**

**_of Thorns._**

_**She shall continue to feel the Pain of the Holly for all time**."_

_After Miku finished reading, Naruto commented for the first time in two hours. "...Well that just sounds fucking GREAT!"_

* * *

"_So where're we going, Luna?" Miku asked._

"_The room where we found Yashuu's diary. There's an altar set up there with a stand, and it said to offer up the Rite of Commandment."_

"_...How do you REMEMBER this stuff?"_

"_It's her job. Yet she can't remember making out with me," Naruto muttered moodily. Miku's eyes widened, while Luna's temple throbbed._

"_Naruto, that never happened! ...And stop being so depressing, lighten up. Be...Be more...BE MORE NARUTO!"_

_Miku and Naruto sweatdropped as they reached the stairs and Luna ran up them. "...Be more Naruto? How do I, Naruto, be more...Naruto?"_

"_By asking stupider questions? That'd be a good place to start."_

_His temple throbbed. "...Meanie."_

"_I'm only mean because it's the best way to get you out of your own personal Emo Corner," she murmured as she carefully placed the Rite of Commandment onto the altar to the far right of the ladder._

_As Luna had predicted, there was a sound from up above them that sounded like a mechanism moving._

"_The hell was that?"_

"_It could only be one thing..." Miku replied as she lead the way up the ladder._

_

* * *

_

_They went into the room with the flickering lights, and Naruto tried to open the white grate-like door on the far end. _

_A spiritual pressence suddenly showed up, making Luna's necklace glow, and she pushed Naruto lightly out of the way. "Let the pro handle this," she said._

"_KI-YAA! SUPER-SPY-BUST-A-MOVE!" Luna shouted as she busted the door open with her feet._

_Miku giggled and Naruto shook his head. "And you call ME the idiot."_

"_I say no such thing."_

_"I call MAJOR b__ullshit!"_

"_I usually just go straight to calling you a dumbass," she concluded matter-of-factly. He held up his index finger before following Miku through the door. "Point. Bullshit call withdrawn."_

_They were nearly nose-to-nose with the cage as soon as they got through, and Naruto groaned. "Awww, DAMMIT, there's no sleeping chick here anymore!"_

"_What?" Luna said, looking around in disbelief before letting herself into the cage. "That's not possible!"_

"_They're ghosts, they can do whatever the hell they please. But SURE Loon, let's go inside the creepy wooden cell, because it couldn't POSSIBLY be a trap!" Naruto snapped as he stomped in after her. _

_Miku waited outside it, looking around for any clues after realizing how crowded the cage would be if she joined them. "Hey, I found a mirror-"_

"_FOUND A DIARY!" Luna announced over him._

_Naruto sweatdropped as she cleared her throat importantly and read it in a British accent for whatever the hell reason._

* * *

"_**My father, my mother, my brother...**_

_**Everyone has gone to the other side.**_

_**I have been left all by myself.**_

_**Just like that time when**_

_**I couldn't go with Kaname.**"_

"_Go where with him, all the way?" Naruto snickered, making Luna hit him in the arm. She sighed as she turned the page. _"_These British people's diaries and books, JEEZ. Always so depressing."_

"_Loon, you DO realize she's Japanese, not British, right?"_

_She hit him in the arm again, making him pout. "MINOR details, now HUSH!"_

"_Ahem. Where was I? Oh, right. _

_**An escort came from the Kuze Shrine.**_

_**Those who know the pain of the loss**_

_**of loved ones become Priestesses, and**_

_**by surrendering their flesh can save**_

_**many people who know the same pain.**_

_**But, once you become a Priestess and**_

_**have the Pain of the Holly engraved**_

_**into you, you can't leave the Shrine.**_

_**The entire village is gone.**_

_**Father, Mother, my brother, everyone.**_

_**I am the sole survivor.**_

_**There is nothing left for me.**_

_**If it's decided that I can never see**_

_**them again, then that means that**_

_**I can sleep for all of eternity.**_

_**I can save others with the same pain**."_

_

* * *

_

_Luna closed the book thoughtfully. "How noble. I can honestly say I could never do something like that."_

_Naruto smirked. "That's because you're a brat."_

_**BAM!**_

"_OW! I WAS JUST KIDDING!"_

_Luna shrugged, blinking innocently. "I was kidding too. I can't help it that my sense of humor hurts more than yours."_

_Miku sighed and shook her head, opening the door on the other side, leading them into the hallway beside Britney's room._

_Naruto and Luna gulped and crept past the opening of her room as quietly as possible, only to have a Shrine Maiden pop up and go **"Amane...Why?"**_

"_SHUT UP!" They hissed, making her jump back and glare at them. Past Self appeared and patted the Shrine Maiden's shoulder, exchanging a sneaky grin before singing, "_**Here's a lullaby to close your eyes**_..."_

"_DON'T YOU DARE SING THAT, YOU LITTLE DEMON!" Naruto shouted, making Luna and Miku jump._

_Past Self laughed. "Like you have any room to call ANYONE a demon, Nine-Tails."_

_His hands balled into fists as she and the Shrine Maiden disappeared. "Nine-Tails? ...Naruto, what did she mean?" Miku asked carefully._

_Luna eyed him worriedly, shaking her head stiffly at Miku, who nodded and smiled apologetically at him before heading for the door on the other side of Britney's room. Once Miku's back was turned, Luna put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and smiled warmly at him. _

_"About time someone else got pissed at my Mini-Me."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**AN ****HOUR LATER...**_

_They ran- literally RAN to save candle time- all the way to the Shrine in the area where the miasma was first unleashed, in which Kei had battled Needle Women._

"_Okay, put this mirror on the staaaand, and- holy CRAP!" Luna shrieked as Yashuu Kuze appeared kneeling on the cushion on the floor in front of the altar._

"_How could you lead a man into the Kuze Shrine...?" She rasped._

"_Does she mean me?" Naruto asked no one in particular. Luna giggled. "Silly Naruto, you're not a MAN!"_

_His temple trobbed as all three of them fended her off, during which a few injuries were earned on Luna and Miku. "I'm just gonna PRETEND the meeasma's making you act all...LUNA, Luna."_

_Finally, once she disappeared, Naruto grabbed the mirror back from Luna as she and Miku took some herbal meds, putting it on its stand on the altar._

_There was a sound from the bamboo screen behind the altar, and they all ran over to it. "You know...Loon, I could've easily just used a Rasengan to blast this flimsy screen," he observed with a sweatdrop._

"_DON'T. That would disrupt the order."_

"_What order?"_

"_Everything happens with a purpose. It is best to let things happen the way they're meant to," Luna continued. _

_He just sweatdropped. "OR, I could just blast the screen and save you from getting killed by a Tattoo, and then you will forever owe me, and who KNOWS what I could get out of it!"_

_Luna's temple throbbed, and she marched into the room, stomping on his foot in the process._

"_DAMMIT!"_

_

* * *

_

_Inside the screens, there was bare rock beneath the floor in the center, rising up. It was carved into a stone bed, and was surrounded by the usual wooden floor of the Manor of Sleep._

"_It looks like a tattooing ceremony took place here," Miku said as she noticed the _

"_That...does NOT sound good," Naruto replied as Luna did a Happy Dance. "Ooooh, ooooh, Type 90 Film!" She cheered, stuffing it into her boxers pocket._

_Naruto sweatdropped and pulled her along as Miku went through a door. "C'mon, Happy Feet, let's go."_

"_Happy Feet?"_

"_It's a movie about a dancing penguin. Ino dragged me and Hinata to see it with her and Sai. Worst night OF my life," he muttered with a shudder._

_Luna sweatdropped. "And NATURALLY you name me after that."_

"_Yep!"_

_She huffed before running to catch up with Miku, who was currently descending down the dark stairway-slash-tunnel as fast as her legs could carry her._

_They soon were enveloped by miasma, even though they still had a ton of candle left, and Luna sighed. "But of course."_

_Naruto simply held out his arms, and she hopped into them. Miku sweatdropped at how dully they went through this. "Is this...a regular thing for you? I usually only witness Kei's wanderings in the dreams..."_

"_Yes," they replied. "Unfortunately," Luna added._

_Miku opened the door and held it open for Naruto, and they all groaned as they saw the winding wooden staircase. _

"_Naruto, if you drop me...I'm SO haunting you until you die, and then I'll torture you to no end in the afterlife," she threatened glumly._

_Naruto nodded, sighing in an equally glum tone. "...Well...Down the staircase of certain impending doom we go!"_

* * *

**Wellll, BUM-BUM-BUUUUM!**

**I love doing that XD**

**By the way, the song introduced in this chapp is called "Room of Angel," by Akira Yamaoka with vocals by Melissa Williamson (or Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, she goes by both). It's on the Silent Hill 4 soundtrack, it's AMAZING. This fic was the first thing i thought of when i heard it (besides Silent Hill, of course), I would HIGHLY recommend looking it up on You Tube. It's a bit slow, but just plain amazing, and i figured it fit Luna and Naruto's backgrounds kind of well.**

**It'll tie into the ending and such a lot better as the fic goes, im sure. **


	37. Impalement's REALLY As Bad As It Sounds!

**Back! Warning: Mental images coud be graphic thanks to me. You've been warned.**

**ANYWAY. Review, and enjoy! :D**

_

* * *

_

_Luna held ontoNaruto for dear life as he and Miku balanced themselves across thick, rounded beams in the shape of a Japanese arch jutting out sideways above what seemed like a bottomless pit at the moment._

_The beams were the only way to get to the rest of the winding staircase, portions of which had fallen through here and there. _

_Miku sweatdropped after getting across, looking pointedly at Luna, who currently had her face hidden against his arm._

"_...She doesn't like heights," he commented, holding her a little tighter to keep her from trembling so much. The last thing he needed was damn Luna making him trip with her shaking, and then have her declare it was all HIS fault._

"_Then how come you can scale roofs and stuff, Luna?" Miku asked with bewilderment._

"_When I do things of that nature, I can usually just focus on the task at hand because I am obligated to do it. But at times like this, when it's beyond my control, or being done just for the hell of it...It terrifies me," she admitted, her voice muffled by his shirt._

"_That...makes no sense whatsoever."_

"_Whaddaya expect, it's **Luna** we're talking about here."_

"_Ah, good point."_

"_**Traitor...you'll never escape from here...I won't let you..."** A Shrine Maiden hissed. "What's happening, Naruto?" Luna asked, feeling quite blind at the moment. But like hell she was going to open her eyes; she'd probably freak out and make her and Naruto both plummet to their death._

"_Nothing, it's just a Creepy Shrine Maiden's voice right now."_

"_Oh."_

"_You'd know if you lifted your head up," Miku pointed out. Naruto grinned as a very audible and slightly-intimidating growl came from against his arm. "Probably not the best thing to say right now, Miku. Unless you want a limb missing."_

"_**Amane...You can't escape..."**_

"_Why does everyone hate Amane so much lately?" Naruto wondered. Luna sweatdropped. "Well, from what I've heard, she's a traitor of some sort...?"_

**"_Amane...It's why...I have to do this..."_**

_

* * *

_

_They finally reached the bottom to find a stone floor, and Luna slowly lifted her head from the safety of Naruto's body. By the foot of the staircase was a little tower of stones, like a shrine or something, with three long candles spread around it._

_Miku pointed a shaky finger straight ahead. "Look...Over there, on the ground..."_

_Impaled to the ground was a Shrine Maiden. Luna could only assume it was this Amane they had heard so much about lately. So SHE was the one with braided pigtails that kept calling for Miku's attention, and their help!_

"_Poor kid..." Naruto muttered. Luna nodded before wriggling out of his grip as she felt very malicious spritual presences rising nearby._

"_Naruto, something's coming," was her simple explanation as she crumpled limply to the ground, pulling out her camera._

_If she couldn't move (the miasma was even worse underground, standing up wasn't even an option for her), she could at least fight in one place._

_As predicted, three Shrine Maidens popped up. The one with long hair and bangs in a straight line across her forehead zoomed for Luna, who nearly shrieked as she got right up into her face before a Fatal Frame showed up._

_Luckily, she had quick enough reflexes to take the Fatal Frame shot, but nearly being hammered in the head was a bit unsettling._

_The one with short hair was currently attacking Naruto, and the one who had just tried to get her moved on to Miku._

_Luna turned around just in time to see the one with short hair and a sphere-shaped barrette near the back of her head appear behind her, mallet raised sky high like an evil little pro. _

_Luna shot a picture in time to stop the Maiden and crawl against the wall to keep from having any more surprise attacks, but was unable to stop the one with her short hair pulled back and the straight bangs hanging loose across her forehead from nailing her bare foot to the ground._

_

* * *

_

_Luna's scream of pain rang throughout the room, followed by her shout of "DON'T MIND ME, KEEP FIGHTING, I'M FINE!"._

_Luna let out a rather vicious growl as she used her good foot to kick the Maiden in the face, sending her flying back into the wall. "How'd that taste, BEYOTCH? Won't impale MY foot next time, WILL YA?"_

_The Handmaidens, scared by the evil aura now pooling out of her, busied themselves with Naruto and Miku._

_Leaving Luna plenty of time to look down at the blood blossoming slowly but steadily out of her foot, a stake portruding from the top at a perfectly straight angle. At least the Handmaiden was skilled._

_She tried to pull the stake out, but could only do it slowly, making her groan. Not wanting to scream too loudly and attract more ghosts to fight, she balled her hand into a fist and stuffed it into her mouth, ready to bit down on it if necessary._

_While her teeth ground against her hand, she slowly inched it out a few inches, only to see Past Self appear in front of her._

_She eyed Luna's nailed foot, and Luna did NOT like the look that spread onto her face. "Don't you dare..."_

"_What, you gonna beg?"_

"_The day I beg to you, or ANYONE, will be the day I let Naruto take a shower with me, because it shall have to meet the same requirements," Luna snapped. _

_It came out kind of muffled, as she was continuing to ease the stake out of her foot while biting on her fist._

_That's when Past Self did something so malicious, so evil, so...CRUEL...that Luna was genuinely surprised she did it._

_She held out her palm and slapped it down on the stake as hard as she could, making it drive back into Luna's foot even further than it had been before. _

_

* * *

_

_Her brain shut off all logical thoughts as the wooden stake penetrated through new flesh and bone; her whole body had gone numb with white-hot pain and fear, going on pure instinct as she writhed briefly._

_Her scream was so loud, even covered by her fist, that the Handmaidens covered their ears, giving Naruto and Miku enough time to get two more Fatal Frames on them._

_The sickening **PINK** of the stake hitting against the stone underneath her foot was still ringing in her ears, making her stomach flip and churn so violently she was worried she'd throw up all over her injury._

_Past Self sighed and shook her head as Luna sobbed, blood trailing down her fist after biting it too hard, her body and mind coming back to normal slowly...and extremely painfully._

_Great, she was losing blood from her foot AND her fist. Then again, it was kind of hard NOT to bite down extremely hard on something in your mouth when someone shoves a stake all the way through your foot, huh?_

"_I've sang it once, and I'll sing it again. _**Your tears...They mean nothing to me.**_"_

"_And I-I...I have said THIS once, and I sh-sh-sh-shall say it a hund...hundred times over if I n...n-ne-need to. Go...to FUCKING HELL!" Luna shrieked; she must've been going into shock._

_She struggled to maintain a level head, slipping into her normal state of shock in which the only thing that could be classified as a dead giveaway was her formality._

_The remaining two Shrine Maidens disappeared at about the same time after falling to their knees in defeat, and Past Self skipped towards a wall carelessly before fading through it._

_Miku and Naruto looked at where Amane had been; there was now simply a lone stake impaled into the ground, which was now stained red._

_Speaking of red stains, Luna could see the blood seeping out from under the edges of her foot, down along the outer side of her leg._

"_Where'd Amane go? ...Well, there's a door, so..." Naruto was saying as Miku turned around. Her placid expression almost immediately turned to one of horror, and she turned a dark shade of green._

_Luna could even see it through the miasma. Obviously her foot, which she refused to look at, was worse than she had originally thought. "...L-LUNA!"_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto turned around to see Miku sprint over to her as fast as she could, already taking out some herbal meds. "No offense, Miku, but I do not think those can help me very much," Luna was saying._

_Miku moved a little to the side, and Naruto felt the blood drain from his face. Luna was sitting in a kind of awkward position. She was an awkward person. _

_What surprised him was the stake driven into the top of her foot._

_He ran over to the two, and once he got close, he could see the blood pooling around Luna's foot and along her leg._

_Like some weird kind of outline. A really sick one._

"_Loon, did that...did that go all the way through?"_

"_Yes, I believe it did. When Mini-Me shoved it back through, I heard- and...felt...it clang against the ground It is now imbedded into the stone, so I do not believe I can free my foot on my own," she explained calmly._

_It was the kind of calm that tipped him off that she was slipping into her form of shock. _

_She took the herbal meds despite what she said about it not helping much; she had looked down at her foot and was now almost as green as Miku was._

_Luna glanced at the door before looking at him, and he gulped. He was REALLY not liking how serious she looked right now. She leaned towards Miku, whispering something. _

_Miku nodded quickly and went over to the other end of the room before slipping through the door they had been about to go through._

_Luna cradled her bloody left hand briefly as she stared up at him. "Naruto...If I asked you to do something that you know would cause lots of pain and screaming and blood...would you do it anyway?"_

_

* * *

_

_He paled even more. "I don't like where you're going with this..."_

"_I need you to pull this- no...YANK this stake out. I can't stand to make you stay here with me while Miku explores the unknown, and I don't wanna stay nailed to the ground BY MYSELF until we wake up."_

"_WHAT? NO WAY! I can't do that to you, I WON'T do that to you! No, no, no, NO."_

"_NARUTO!"_

"_Miku's already out there!"_

"_She's waiting outside! I told her she would probably much rather wait out there than hear my screams, and she agreed rather passionately!"_

"_I don't care HOW passionately she agreed with you, I'm not ripping a stake out of your impaled foot! I'll just wait here with you, it's no big deal, really!"_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_NO."_

"_I really don't think you're in a position to argue with me! No means NO this time, Luna, dammit!"_

"_Can't you just- URGH!" She cried out in frustration. Luna held her hand against her palm for a second, breathing deeply. _

_She then looked up at him with the saddest, most seriously determined face he'd ever seen._

"_Naruto, I have never begged to someone before. In fact, I had told my Mini-Me right before she shoved the stake back into my foot that I would never beg to her, nor anyone else. But I'm already about to prove myself wrong..."_

_She paused to wipe at her face, but she wiped with the wrong hand, so now she had a streak of her own blood across her whole face._

"_Please...PLEASE...Rip it out. Yank it. Hold my foot down, ignore my screaming, and get it out as quickly as you can. Please. I...I'm begging you." _

_As if he already weren't forced to agree to the bizarre thing she was asking from him, those damn big brown eyes of hers brimmed with tears that she blinked away, which just made her eyes bigger and her lashes longer._

"_Do it...please? ...For me?"_

_Dammit, she went there. SHE WENT THERE. She used the dirtiest trick in the book. But Luna looked so sincere saying it that it made Naruto's chest hurt, and he REALLY had no choice in the matter now. _

_He slowly sat on his knees beside her foot, and her breathing quickened just at him LOOKING in the stake's direction._

"_...You're SURE you want me to do this?"_

* * *

"_Of course I am! That doesn't mean I like it!" She snapped. _

"_Would it make you feel any better if I grabbed your hand?"_

"_NO! I am not a child, nor am I some silly schoolgirl who needs comforting."_

"_Which is a yes, right?"_

"_...Ye-e-esssss," she whined, hiding her face in her non-bloodied hand and stamping her free foot with anxiety._

_She heard shuffling before feeling warmth around her hand; her bloodied knuckles stung a little from the contact, but she figured that was the least of her problems at the moment._

"_Okay. ...Okay...One...Tw-"_

"_GAH! DON'T COUNT, JUST YANK WHENEVER YOU'RE READY!" She shrieked between sobs, making him jump._

_Luna sniffled. "...Sorry."_

"_Don't be. Just...gimme a second...I don't wanna hurt you."_

_She laughed a little. "Naruto, this is gonna hurt either w- AHHHH...SHIT!" She screamed, both the phrase and tiny sobs ripping from her throat and echoing in the large rounded room._

"_YOU ASSWIPE!" She cried out; the stake had only come up a little bit, it was now completely inside her foot, and she was pretty sure she felt some rocks lodged tightly into her foot. GREAT._

_Naruto didn't reply, just shifted his hand off the top of her hand and lacing their fingers together so she could squeeze the life out of them. Which she intended to do. Immediately. Starting NOW._

* * *

"_Ow," he hissed to himself, making Luna's temple throb. "You do not know the MEANING of the word 'ow', Naruto Uzum-OWWWWWW, HOLY SHITCAKE, RIP IT OUT, RIP IT OOOOUTT!" She screamed as he pulled it more._

_By this point Naruto's hand was numb from her squeezing, Luna's head had reflexively thrown back (causing her to hit it against the wall), her free foot was kicking like mad...and the stake was only about halfway out. _

_Also by this point, she had tears streaming down her face, and she was shaking almost violently. All the blood loss probably had something to do with the shaking, and it would explain why she felt so lightheaded._

_She gripped Naruto's hand even tighter (if that was possible), and he stroked the skin between her thumb and pointer finger reassuringly. _

"_Don't stop until it's out, just ignore me, please!" She pleaded as he hesitated, eyes welded shut as she sat up and pressed her head against her knees._

"_O-Okay, here I go-" Naruto was cut off as Luna let out an agonizing scream against her legs, and with three more tries, the stake was out._

_

* * *

_

_Luna's final scream ended as a sob of relief, and she leaned her head against the wall, panting hard._

_Her leg slid out of its drawn-up position, her numb foot skidding across the stone limply, its path smeared and slicked by fresh blood from the now completely open wound. Luna opened her eyes for the first time, but didn't dare look at her foot._

_Something told her she would regret it. Naruto had a really guilty look on his face, and she squeezed his hand briefly. "...Thank you. Th-Think of that as having been...a trust exercise?"_

Naruto sweatdropped at her statement, shaking his head in disbelief. "...I can't believe I actually just DID that to you..."

"_Don't worry about it. I asked you to, didn't I?" Luna smirked. "It was my eyes that persuaded you, wasn't it."_

His temple throbbed as he stood and stretched. "Just shut up and let's go make sure Miku didn't pass out. I'm sure she heard you screaming, even from way out there..."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. You might be right."

He sweatdropped. "How the FACK are you so EFFING CALM RIGHT NOW?" Luna smiled sweetly up at him. "Because I know three things. One, you're gonna carry me, since I'm so helpless. Two, I can heal most of the wounds when we get back to reality, once this miasma stops affecting me. And THREE...Well...number three's nothing for you to worry about."

_Naruto sighed heavily and leaned down, picking her up as gently as humanly possible. Luna plopped her Camera Obscura on her lap, her bleeding hand cradled against her chest, and made sure not to look at her foot._

_He grinned at her. "I didn't see her impale you, but I sure as hell saw you kick that kid's face in. That was so awesomesauce."_

_She smiled back at him before pointing her good hand towards the door. "ONWARD! TO MIKUUUU!"_

"_TO MIKU!"_


	38. C'est L'amour & Miku's Depression Moment

**Back! Thanks again for your reviews and questions. It may not seem like it, but trust me, this fic's almost over.**

**And then it's BACK TO "I Hate You, My Friend!". And i promise you didn't read this fic for nothing, it'll affect the original fic as well.**

**Well, anyways. Enjoy, REVIEW, and don't forget those questions! Thanks a ton for the ones i've already been asked, they're very...interesting, to say the least XD**

**Again, review and ENJOY!**

_

* * *

_

_When they opened the big stone double-doors, Miku was braced against the wall beside it. She looked rather pale._

_Her head shot up as she heard the door creaking and someone shouting "TO MIKUUU!". As she had expected, Luna was being carried by Naruto._

_What surprised her was that she was smiling._

"_L-Luna, you're alright? ...You look almost...happy."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "What, did you think I was gonna die?" Naruto sweatdropped as well. "Hey, you might from all the blood loss, depending on how long we stay in the Manor."_

_Her temple throbbed. "Okay, I don't like your logic. I think you should stick to carrying me."_

"_Why, because I'm right?"_

"_That's exactly why," she replied worriedly, flexing her hurt hand to get the feeling back into it. Miku glanced down at her foot, which had lost its painful wooden accessory now, leaving a gaping hole in the center of her foot._

_Judging by how quickly Miku's head shot up, it was pretty bad. Great. She couldn't WAIT to heal, clean, and dress her wound when she got back to reality!_

_Suddenly, a figure appeared straight ahead on the misty path they were currently on. Speaking of which, where the hell were they? _

_Wherever it was, it had such a huge amount of spirit energy that Luna felt even woozier than before._

_Luna shook her head and snapped a picture of the figure. It was the man in the blue kimono. **"I've wanted to see you for so long, brother...Brother..."**_

_She couldn't tell who had said that, Miku or Amane._

_Naruto and Miku sped after the figure, and Luna struggled with all the jerky movements to find the figure again in her viewfinder._

_In his place was a man with a white dress shirt and black pants, with jet black hair. "Do you think he goes to the same hair stylist as Sasuke?" Luna asked, making Naruto sweatdrop._

_Miku ran a little ahead of them. **"Brother...Don't go...that way...Brother...Mafuyu! Don't go any further!"**_

"_Brother?" Luna wondered, while Naruto ran faster to try and catch up with her. "Of course! The dude from her picture!"_

"_NOW THERE'S A PICTURE? I'M SO LOOOOOST!"_

"_When you were trying to kill me for telling Rei-Rei about you being an Agent, and I hid in her room, there was a picture of her and that guy! It never occurred to me it could be her brother, I thought it was a long-distance boyfriend or something."_

_Luna sweatdropped. "...Idiot."_

"_Hey!"_

"_**I'm sorry...I left you behind...!" **_

_Miku's voice made them stop arguing as she got closer to the double-doors on the other side of the long bridge connecting the two doorways. It was nearly impossible for Naruto to catch up. "Almost as if...Something doesn't WANT us to catch up..." Luna mused aloud._

_Naruto slowed, realizing there was no way he'd get there in time as Miku passed through the Japanese arch mounted mere feet from the door Mafuyu had went through._

"_**All alone..."**_

"_Miku, get your slutty, admittedly better-endowed, barely-covered ass back here!" Luna shouted, making Naruto do a spastic little dance as his temple throbbed. _

"_WHAT THE HELL, LU-NAAA?"_

"_I figured if I surprised her it would buy us some time!" She shouted back; he didn't like how upset Luna looked as Miku gripped the door handle. _

"_MIKU, WAIT, DON'T!"_

"_Why do we need time? Where's she going?" He asked anxiously._

_Before she could answer, everything went pitch black. Miku's voice was the only thing that rang through the darkness._

"_**I'll...go there...with you..."**_

* * *

Luna shot up immediately, jumping off her couch. "Miku!"

She fell to the ground, having forgotten about her foot, and she hissed a string of curses before Flash-Stepping to Miku's door, which Rei had just ran through to check on her younger roommate.

Kei and Naruto were still completely out of it. Stupid men.

Luna cracked the door open and saw Miku sitting up on her bed, head hung down low. "Miku..." Rei called.

"Rei. We're...going to die."

_What?_

Luna limped in behind Rei, not making much noise and going unnoticed by the two for the time being.

Just as she feared, Miku had a Tattoo as well. It was red with darker red outlines, almost black-looking. Almost like a freshly-made tattoo from an inexperience parlor, one not yet inked.

Or a terrible, intricate bruise.

"Now I understand. These tattoos...are my punishment for living. For living on...for surviving...that day..."

Luna limped over to her side, successfully scaring the crap out of Rei. She leaned against Miku's bed heavily, her foot killing her.

"Miku...Don't say things like that. Ya know...a surprisingly smart friend of mine told me that when you say stuff like that, you've pretty much sealed your fate. Don't _ever_ say you're better off dead, because with that attitude, they'll kill you for sure, with one hand tied behind their backs. You survived for a reason. Just like Rei did, and just like I've survived all I've been through. The best thing we can do is continue living, and let life run its course. Besides..." Luna smiled a little at the flashback tugging at her mind.

"...'I've seen you cry, way too many times, when you deserve to be alive'."

Rei nodded, grateful Luna had such a way with words for once. "She's right. Miku...?"

Miku didn't looked quite as convinced as they hoped. Her head was still down, and her voice still sounded sorrowful.

"Ever since I was a child, I've been able to see things...that other people can't. My brother was the only one who understood me. That's how I know... We're going to die."

Rei sat on the bed and put a hand on Miku's back gently, and Luna muttered "Screw it" before sitting on her bed as well.

"Miku...We can get through this thing _together_," Rei assured her. "Everything's gonna be okay."

Luna nodded, looking down at her hands. "I don't know if this is the right time, but...I suppose it's only fair to be honest. I've been able to see spirits since I was a child as well. ...I...I murdered my foster parents because of one spirit in particular, who was able to enter my mind. I too feel guilty, more than I thought I ever could. So...Miku...I understand. I understand you, and trust me when I say...you...are _not_ alone. And we're _not_ dying any time soon."

She smiled to herself. "_I_ sure as hell don't wanna die, or see any of _you_ die. ...Besides. I made a promise I'd protect my personal Demon, _maaany_ years ago. I intend to do that. That's how _I_ know...we're gonna survive."

Rei chuckled as if she knew who she was referring to, making Luna clear her throat anxiously. "U-Uhhh, not that that Demon's mine in a...y'know, _romantic_ way or any relationship at _all_, really, just...I...I'm just gonna go tend to my foot now..."

Miku giggled a little and stood up, draping Luna's arm around her shoulders. "I'll help you, Luna. And...thank you. Both of you."

Rei nodded, holding her roommate's door open as they walked out. The first thing they heard was Naruto and Kei shouting.

* * *

"KY, WHAT'D YOU DO TO HER? IF I FIND HER TIED UP IN A CLOSET OR SOMETHING-"

"ME? I think we all know that if ANYONE were to do something bizarre to Luna, it'd be YOU!"

"WHY _ME_? I'M THE ONE _PROTECTING_ HER, YA DUMBASS FRAT BOY!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU'RE MAKING MY HEAD HURT!" Luna bellowed as Miku helped her descend down the stairs.

Naruto and Ky started laughing nervously. "...Oh. There you are. We were worried."

"So we heard. Maybe if you two were up, you would've had a better clue as to where she was," Miku replied matter-of-factly.

Rei sweatdropped, waving a hand from upstairs. "Oh, and I'm right here, but THANKS FOR THE CONCERN!"

"OH, REI-REI, I MISSED YOU SO!" Naruto called out dramatically, making Luna roll her eyes and Rei wave him off.

"Oh, SAVE IT."

Naruto ran up to Miku, who already looked a little happier. "Heey Mikuuu, can you fix me some breakfast?"

Luna's temple throbbed. "She's kinda busy. Do you mind?"

"I can help you!"

"...NO."

"Oh, c'mon. I want my breakfast, Loon!"

"NO WAY. Your breakfast can wait!"

He looked at Miku, taking Luna's other arm and draping it over his shoulders. "All this pain's made her delirious, she doesn't know what she's saying-"

"I HATE YOU!"

"See? Total NONSENSE-"

"NARUTO KEEPS A DIARY-"

"DO _NOT_, THAT'S A FLAT-OUT LIE AND YOU KNOW IT! ...Anyway, I'll take care of her as long as you PLEASE fix me food!"

Miku giggled and got a pan out of the cabinet. "Go ahead, Naruto, by all means. She _obviously_ feels a lot safer with you," she said meaningfully as Luna dug her nails into the wall, causing it to make a rather unpleasant sound as he dragged her along.

Finally, he just sighed impatiently and picked her up, slinging her over his shoulder. "C'mon, Loon, this is ridiculous."

"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!"

"Says the girl who can barely walk."

"...That's a matter of opinion."

"No it's not."

"LEMME GO!"

"NO!"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

Luna pouted as he plopped her onto Rei's bathroom sink, and he rubbed his sore back. "Dammit, Loon, you pounded the HELL outta me!"

"Serves you right."

"For trying to take care of you?"

"Yes."

Naruto rolled his eyes and reached to grab her foot, causing her to nearly kick his face in. "DON'T TOUCH IT, IT'LL HUUUUURT!" She wailed.

Naruto sweatdropped. "...Luna...I mean this in the most complimentary way...WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM, YOU BIG BABY?"

Her temple throbbed, and she crossed her arms moodily. "IF YOU MUST KNOW...I have..._issues_ when it comes to medical treatment. Especially when being administered by AN INEXPERIENCED NOOB!"

Naruto's temple throbbed. "Ya know, I ALMOST felt bad for ya, figuring it was from the Agency and all. BUT THEN YOU CALLED ME A NOOB!"

"Well, you _are_ one."

"I'm sorry, but WHO yanked the stake outta your foot?"

Luna looked at her fingers anxiously with a defeated sigh. "...Yooouuu..."

He grabbed her foot gently, and she flinched, but didn't kick him this time. "That's what I thought. Now chill out."

"Lemme do some healing jutsu on it first!" She whined.

He rolled his eyes. "When you're friends with Sakura, you learn some things. Just trust me, just this once. It won't kill ya," he replied before using his other hand to turn the sink on and wet a rag.

Luna's good foot started wiggling anxiously, knowing this was going to sting really bad. She knew he had to clean it first, or the jutsu would seal up the wound with dirt and rocks- and possibly splinters- lodged in it.

Then she might get infected. Which was essentially a very bad thing when dealing with the Manor of Sleep every night.

Naruto was about to press the rag against her foot, but paused to look at her for a second. He nodded to himself and laid his arm against her other leg, pinning it down. "I don't wanna get attacked by flying feet of fury again," he muttered.

She ALMOST smiled.

But then he'd get all cocky, and she'd never hear the end of it, and- "GAH! GOD...DAMMIT, THAT HURTS!" She shrieked as the water seeped into the hole in her foot.

"What, you think it was just plain water? It's antiseptic, too, idiot."

Luna clenched her fists. "You...are SO lucky I maintain self-control so well, or you'd have a bullet hole right between your eyes before you could say 'I'm almost done!'"

"I'm almost done."

"No you're not!"

"I know, I just wanted to say it so I'd be safe."

* * *

Luna rolled her eyes, hissing in a breath as a new wave of sting hit her. "You know if Rei-Rei has any tweezers?" He asked, not looking up from her foot.

She rolled her eyes again and leaned towards the drawer on her left, pulling out tweezers five seconds later. "EVERY woman's bathroom has tweezers, Naruto."

"Yeah, well, it's probably a GOOD SIGN that I don't know that, eh?"

"...True."

Luna debated whether she should've just said she couldn't find them, knowing he was going to be digging around in a hole...in her _foot_...plucking out lots of objects...in a _very_ tender spot.

When she looked up from the tweezers, Naruto was looking up at her, waiting patiently. "...Tweezers?"

After a few moments of debating with herself, she shakily held out the instrument. "...Tweezers."

He smiled at her reassuringly before tilting her foot upwards. "I should probably do the bottom part first, it has the most crap in it."

Luna sweatdropped. "...Well, thanks for referring to it as 'crap'. That makes me feel _much_- NARUTO UZUMAKI, I MIGHT RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!" She screeched as she dug her nails into her palms so hard she might've drawn blood.

Naruto peered at her foot as he pulled out a giant rock. "...This is like a really...really...REALLY twisted game of Operation."

Her temple throbbed, and she sighed and shook her head. "...Miku's right, I feel SO safe around you."

"Well, good, 'cause I'm about to hurt you again."

"Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!" She hissed, able to feel every tiny movement made inside her foot. And they were NOT pleasant ones.

* * *

After pulling out a ton of splinters and rocks, he put the antiseptic-slash-water rag on her foot again to get off all the dried blood that had caked on there during the process.

"That _sucked_."

He rolled his eyes. "Hey, it wasn't exactly pleasant for me either. Your impaled foot with tons of random objects lodged in there isn't exactly what I wanted to look at so closely this morning."

"Well, Miku's boobs wouldn't have been available either, she was in her room with me and Rei," she replied matter-of-factly, making his temple throb. "...Not THOSE, either. Well, on second thought, now that you've mentioned it..."

_**BAM!**_

"OW! DAMMIT, I JUST TOOK AWESOME CARE OF YOU AND YOU REPAY ME BY THROWING A BAR OF SOAP AT ME? IF THAT GOT IN MY EYES, I WOULD BE BLIND! _BLIIIIIND_!"

Luna rolled her eyes. "Oh, you couldn't stare at me when I'm naked or scantily clad again? How tragic."

He rolled HIS eyes. "Save it. If you didn't like it so much, you would've let it go by now."

"OR, I'm not letting it go because even _I_ am shocked you did such a thing." Naruto grinned. "Then you don't know me half as well as I thought."

Luna sweatdropped. "...True. Very true." He let her foot down gently to look around in the cabinets. "Bandage, bandage, baaaandaaage-"

"Other cabinet."

"I knew that!" He exclaimed triumphantly as he held up a bandage, and Luna tried not to smile. How anyone could have this much energy in the morning was way beyond her comprehension.

He tossed the bandage at her for her to hold before grabbing her foot again, pausing to look at her foot, then her. "...I just realized. Every time I've touched your foot today, you've screamed bloody murder at me."

Luna shrugged. "Half the time, I begged you to, so it's not _really_ your fault." Naruto shrugged as well, and the next thing she knew, her foot was surrounded by that familiar cool and slightly-tingly feeling of healing jutsu.

The wound was almost completely closed up in a matter of moments, and she slowly handed him the bandage. "You might have a little scar there, but other than that..."

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that so well." He grinned, not able to resist. "I can do _lots_ of things very well. You should lemme show you sometime."

Luna debated hitting him, but settled with sighing instead. "...I set myself up for that one." He nodded while unraveling the wrap-around bandage. "Definitely."

* * *

She sighed tiredly as he started wrapping up her foot, leaning back on her elbows and counting the number of dots on the ceiling.

She was at forty-seven when his grip slid up her ankle, which made her shiver for whatever reason.

He stopped wrapping right at her ankle, maybe a little above it, with his free hand at the back of her knee.

Luna could've sworn he caressed it for a second, but she was known for overreacting to human contact.

The thought was brushed away as quickly as it had come once his hands moved to either side of her, bracing against the vanity.

Luna smiled briefly at him before hopping down. "Thank you- oh CRAP," she hissed, nearly falling over. He caught her just in time, sweatdropping. "...Huh, something tells me you probably shouldn't walk on it too much for now."

She groaned. "Great, just GREAT. The Manor of Sleep is gonna SUCK this next night coming up!"

Naruto grinned and draped her arm over his shoulders again. "Chill, at least you have me, right?"

"...I think you just made me more depressed," she muttered moodily, making his temple throb. "Alright, see if I help you NEXT TIME you get impaled in the foot!"

"Hopefully there won't BE a next time!"

"Well, if there is, you're screwed, AREN'T YOU?"

"Yes, I believe I am," she replied dully. Luna wasn't thinking, and tried to go through the door at the same time he did, resulting in her somehow faceplanting the ground quite hard.

She really wanted to just lay there, she was so exhausted, but Naruto pulled her up. "Why are you such a clutz, huh?"

* * *

"How am I supposed to know!" She replied defensively. Naruto had grabbed her by the waist, and his arm was still there as he moved to plop her arm over his shoulders again. For whatever reason, they both ended up kind of having a stare-off.

How had they gotten so close? How was this possible, for two stubborn, unbelievably idiotic and downright _infuriating _people to be so...so...

In-sync? Just plain close? Caring and protective, no matter how close one got to killing the other on a daily basis? She didn't even know what to call it, much less how they got this way. It was rather illogical.

Almost as illogical as her pondering this while further allowing them to _be _this close, both physically and mentally.

Speaking of physically close, how had their faces gotten so close to each other? When did that happen? Luna had been told she was bad about zoning out, but this was just plain ridiculous.

At this point, she was seriously considering just letting things unfold however they seemed to be unfolding, but then she realized HOW they would be unfolding and jumped back so fast you would've thought he'd shocked her with one of those prank buzzers Will shook her hand with once.

"We should, uh...forward? In the...hungry...straight?" Luna stammered rather incoherently, flushing bright crimson.

Naruto was obviously trying really hard not to laugh, which made her angry. Shouldn't _he _be the flustered one? Encounters like that one were ALWAYS his fault when it was between the two of them.

Weren't they? _Indeed._ _I have been trained not to dwell on such foolish emotions, therefore it must be his fault. Right? RIGHT! RIGHT! ...Stop questioning me! ...Oh, great, I'm arguing with myself._

He just laughed and shook his head, and she couldn't help but droop just a little when his hand slid away from her waist. "...Yeah, I think I got out of all that that you wanted to go straight and you're hungry?"

Luna nodded stiffly, limping along with him. _...Silly Miku. Thinking about love. Who in their right mind would believe in THAT piece of crap?_


	39. Situations & Strangulation

**Back! Here's where things start to get...Well, screwy, for our characters.**

**ENJOY! XD**

**Oh, and thanks for the reviews and questions. I would like to answer one of my questions right now: YES, you can send more than one question to me through PM or review. XD ENJOY, again!**

* * *

**_"Please Yuu, tell me..! Am I really supposed to be alive?"_**

_**"**__**Why can't I convince myself to let it go...If Luna already has?"**_

_**"**__**Mafuyu...Was she right? Did you stay behind...Did you abandon me because...I was unwanted?"**_

_**"**__**How can Will forgive me for killing his family? ...How can anyone forgive me? Maybe my Mini-Me's right...Maybe I should be killed..."**_

_It was odd for Luna, Miku, and Naruto to wake up with each other's thoughts echoing in their heads._

_And Rei's thought. Where did THAT come from?_

_Neither of them mentioned it to each other, figuring it was just another quirk of the Manor. __Miku groaned as they realized they were back in the Himuro Mansion part of the Manor of Sleep. "Not this dream again...I don't want it anymore!"_

"_Me either, honestly," Naruto replied, making her jump._

_Luna sweatdropped. "After all these dreams, you're still not used to us tagging along?"_

_Naruto grinned. "Ohhh, so we're an 'US' now, Loon?" _

_**BAM!**_

"_Dammit, I was just messing with you!"_

"_As was I. You should know by now that MY messing involves bodily harm!"_

_Miku just sighed and walked ahead of them, making them pause their stare-off to watch her. They exchanged a look and followed her. Naruto leaned towards Luna, who was glowing with anxiety and worry. _

"_Is she alright?"_

"_How am I supposed to know, moron?"_

"_HEY MIKU, YOU ALRIGHT?" He called out to her, making Luna stomp on his foot. "DUMBASS!"_

"_OWWWW!"_

_Miku glanced back at them and sighed again. "Can we just keep going, please? I want to get this dream done with quickly..."_

"_Suuure," they said slowly, eyeing her as if she had grown another head. They ran to catch up with her as she opened a door to her right, and Luna felt a spike in spirit pressure. "MAFUYU!" Miku called out suddenly._

_Naruto and Luna nearly tripped over each other as they tried to squeeze in through the doorway behind her, Camera Obscuras at the ready._

_**FLASH, FLASH!**_

"_I GOT A SHOT OF HIS RIGHT ARM!"_

"_I GOT HIS CHEST AND NECK, SO NEH, UZUMAKI!"_

"_Aww, DAMMIT, Loon! Why do you always win?"_

"_Skill, Naruto. Skill."_

_

* * *

_

_Miku led them across the beams (which were over flooded flooring) and to the door on which Luna had cracked a Pentagram Puzzle._

_Through the door was that creepy cell where the chosen Maiden was kept for ten years. In the cell was Past Self, smiling at them._

_Luna noticed Naruto tense up as she started humming, and gripped his arm, dragging him along. "C'mon, I feel a spiritual pressure rising again.."_

"_**Here's a lullaby to close your eyes...goodbye..." **Past Self sang, practically sneering at Naruto._

_His fists clenched, and he was inside the cage before either of the Lunas could react. The elder Luna looked at him, then towards the door, through which she could see flashes and hear the ghost of the delimbed Preistess screeching._

_With a whine, she left Naruto and went to help Miku._

_

* * *

_

_Naruto stood glowering at the stupid evil kid, who was giggling. "You're so entertaining when you're angry! All because of one tiny little lullaby..."_

"_How'd you know about that song?" He demanded._

_She shrugged while standing up. "I dunno. I wish I could say it was part of an elaborate plan to make you miserable YEARS before we would meet, but...I just know it. It's always been in my memory." Mini-Luna grinned at him, and it sent a chill up and down his spine._

"_I wanna test a little theory of mine. I'm about 110% sure it's correct, but it's such a fun idea." Naruto wasn't liking where this was going. That kid looked WAY too effing happy._

_She disappeared, reappearing on his shoulders with a kunai he didn't remember her grabbing. It was currently pressed against his neck. "One of us isn't gonna leave here alive."_

_Naruto threw her off, making her hit her head against the wall. She stood up quickly and looked towards the door as if expecting to see something before grinning. "Let's try that again, shall we?"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna ran into the room just in time to see Miku nearly delimbed by the Priestess, and she took a Fatal Frame as quickly as possible. _

_Miku dropped to the ground, and after each of them getting three combo shots in a row, the ghost was gone. _

_Luna suddenly felt her head throb, and she touched the side of it gingerly. She felt as if she'd hit pavement._

_And she had been thrown to the ground- sometimes even knocked unconscious- on many past assignments, so she was quite familiar with that awful feeling._

_What the hell causes THAT? Other than actually hitting pavement, of course._

_Miku was staring uncertainly at the door, through which Naruto was probably having a stupid argument with Past Luna._

"_I've got to go back...Go back...and forget..." They both turned to look as they felt spirit pressure, and saw Mafuyu heading through the other door._

_Miku made a weird little noise, and after a few moments walked slowly towards that other door. Luna's voice stopped her cold. "If you follow the dead in your dreams...You won't be able to come back, Miku."_

"_Mafuyu...I..."_

"_There is no point in chasing after the dead. You get nothing from it. Miku, don't condemn yourself just because your brother made the wrong decision and left you behind to ease the pain of a dead woman. His decision was pointless and quite honestly selfishly moronic. Please don't make a wrong decision as well."_

_She knew her words stung, and that they were pretty damn harsh; she meant them to be. Sometimes the truth hurt, but there really wasn't another way to get it through Miku's head._

_Miku stared at the door, then at the other one. "...I've got to choose...But...Mafuyu...Rei...How do I..."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto dodged another of Mini-Luna's attacks. He really didn't feel like killing a kid today, no matter how evil they were._

"_I thought Hokages were fearless? How the HELL can you become Hokage when you can't even defeat a kid like me, huh?" She sneered, giggling as she twirled around him._

_Naruto felt his fists clench and unclench, and it didn't go by unnoticed. Finally, she stopped her circling and stood in front of him. _

"_I bet you couldn't kill me even if I let you!" Mini-Luna grabbed his hands, making him drop his kunai, and placed them securely around her neck. She grinned up at him confidently. "Go ahead. Kill me. Make my day. ...Or night, rather."_

_He stared at her in disbelief, and she sighed impatiently. "Just DO IT! Not like I have anything to lose. Besides, I don't think you could kill me if you tried, you WUSS."_

_She tapped her chin thoughtfully with an innocent smile. "Huh. Maybe THAT'S why your dad stuffed a demon in your stomach. Hoping it would make you less of a wuss! Whoops, looks like he failed. Congrats, Naruto. You made your parents die painful deaths for absolutely nothing."_

_That was the final straw. With a rather demon-like growl, he had her pinned against the wall and was literally squeezing the life out of her, a little bit of Nine-Tails chakra leaking out. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU EVIL LITTLE...LITTLE **BITCH**!"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna waited tensely as Miku looked between the doors at least fifty times. Finally, she sighed and walked towards the door they had come through. The door that lead to life._

"_I've got to get back to reality...Back to Rei, and Kei, and Naruto...The people that matter. I...I'm no good to Mafuyu now, just like he's no good to me. ...Yes...Yes, this is the right choice."_

_Luna smiled and started running to catch up to her. "Yeah, it is. I'm proud of y-" She cut off as she gripped her throat, trying to breathe._

_The purifying light was still on, so it wasn't the miasma. But she felt as if her throat were on fire, and there was a dull ache creeping up her lungs. The pressure around her neck was strong, and it burned much like tainted chakra._

_No matter how much she tried to breathe, she could only do so in choked rasps. Miku ran over to her as she sunk to the floor. "Luna! What's happening?"_

"_I...I don't- GAH!" She cut off with more gasps, quickly losing her ability to talk. She was...kind of scared. She was starting to see spots in random places around the room. _

_**What the hell's happening to me?**_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto had to admit, strangling the little brat felt good. She was currently laughing like a lunatic, but struggling and grasping the air at the same time._

_On the other hand...She looked so much like Luna, it was like he was strangling her instead. He had to constantly remind himself that he was just strangling the evil Past Luna, and the real one would thank him later._

_Mini-Luna looked like she was about to pass out when Miku came running towards him and tackled him to the ground._

"_WHAT THE HELL?"_

_

* * *

_

_Miku watched helplessly, trying to figure out what was happening as Luna laid herself flat on her back and tried to breathe._

_She wasn't succeeding. Miku decided maybe she should go get Naruto, and opened the door to see him strangling Mini-Luna. _

_It was then she understood. Miku ran in, through the tiny door to the cell, and tackled him to the ground._

"_WHAT THE HELL?" He shouted._

_They heard two loud gasps as both Lunas brought air back into their lungs, followed by heavy panting and gulping._

"_You almost killed her, Naruto, you...you...ARGH!"_

_He blinked up at Miku as she rolled off of him before standing up and running back from the room she had just left. Mini-Luna had already disappeared._

"_...That was the whole point, Miku!"_

_

* * *

_

_Miku ignored him, crouching to sit on her knees beside a crumpled heap on the floor. After squinting in the dull light for a few moments, he realized it was Luna. The good one._

_He ran over to her, crouching beside her as well, across from Miku._

_Her eyes were closed as she continued to breathe deeply, looking like every breath hurt her. Miku glared over at him. "Naruto, what the hell were you THINKING?"_

"_I didn't mean to strangle HER, I was strangling that brat! It was me or her!"_

"_Exactly! That's probably what she WANTED! Naruto, if you kill ONE of them, you kill the OTHER! What the hell made you think the Luna we know now could live if the Luna from back then were to be...oh, I don't know...STRANGLED TO DEATH?"_

_He paled. How could he be such a dumbass? He'd fallen right into Mini-Luna's hands. Miku sighed heavily as Luna's breathing slowed just a little, but her pained expression just intensified. _

"_You guys, it's...it's fine, I...I'm...fine," she rasped, rolling onto her side to sit up. Naruto picked her up, cradling her against him, and she didn't complain._

_Miku and Naruto walked as quickly as possible past the cell and back to the room they had started in. "We should probably leave and take her to the real world," Naruto commented._

_Miku nodded. "I had no intention of going anywhere else here. I'm through with this dream."_

_As if to prove her wrong, she tried the exit but it wouldn't budge. "It won't open...**Why**?" _

_Naruto shifted Luna's weight, glancing down at her apologetically as she coughed, and tried the door as well. "Damn. Guess we have to keep going?"_

"_I guess so. Luna, can you hang in a little longer?" They looked down at her, and she nodded stiffly before inhaling deeply again._

_Miku headed through the door to their LEFT this time, leading to the Rope Hallway. They went down the hall, but Miku stopped abruptly in front of the full-length mirror, by which she had found her Camera Obscura. She stared at their reflections uneasily._

"_MIKU, NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO CHECK YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP!" Naruto pretty much screeched at her, making Luna flinch, digging her nails even further into his arm._

_It was then that he noticed the Tattooed Priestess, Reika, approaching them from behind. He wanted to turn around, but felt paralyzed with fear and a painful cold. _

_Luna's Tattoo started moving idly on her skin in response, as did Miku's, and the former groaned hoarsely._

_Then it all went black as Reika reached for Miku, totally ignoring Luna and Naruto. _

_**"No one will survive...no one..."**_


	40. What The Hell Are YOU Doing Here!

**Back! Well, not much else to say. Keep up the questions and reviews, and enjoy!**

* * *

Naruto shot straight up, panting. "...Miku?" He glanced at Luna, who was breathing raggedly but still asleep, and ran upstairs.

Rei was already there, standing with her hand on Miku's door handle as if debating whether or not to go in.

"OPEN IT!"

"Alright, stop yelling," Rei hissed urgently before opening the door slowly. They both gasped; four or five Needle Women were poised over her bed, staring down at her.

They disappeared almost immediately, and Naruto practically ran Rei down to reach Miku's side. There were traces of the Tattoo flashing against her skin, and she looked so pale he couldn't tell if she were dead or alive.

They hung their heads, and exchanged looks when they heard Kei talking fast downstairs, accompanied by the sounds of him shuffling objects around.

They reluctantly went downstairs to see Kei running around looking under random things, and Yoshi was standing over Luna, peering down at her with anxious curiosity.

"What the hell happened to HER?" The ghost woman asked.

"She was strangled by that IDIOT, now lemme focus on finding Rei's car keys," Kei growled.

Naruto slid down the banister angrily, while Rei held up her keys for Kei to see with a sweatdrop.

"I'm not an idiot! What the hell was I supposed to do, LET Mini-Luna get away with insulting my dead parents like that and LET her try and kill me?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have strangled her, if THAT'S what you were wanting me to say," Kei replied just as heatedly.

Rei sighed as they started having a shouting match. "YOU GUYS! ...Why don't we focus on Luna, alright? Naruto, how long did you strangle her for?"

Naruto gave her a look that could kill. "I. Didn't. Strangle. HER. ...However, I strangled MINI-LUNA for about...maybe a minute tops?"

Kei and Rei sighed in relief. "Good, good. And she didn't slip into unconsciousness..."

"Which means there might not be too much damage to her brain, and she'll probably pull through," Kei finished for her.

Naruto felt panic slip in. "Wait, wait, WAIT. She's fine! She told me she was fine! She can breathe, and talk, and..."

Rei sighed impatiently and motioned for him to hurry up, so he followed her out the front door.

* * *

Kei was trailing behind, carrying Luna, and Rei opened the back door of her car for him to put her in.

Naruto hurriedly ran to the other side, sliding into the back seat as well and taking on the job of keeping her head upright.

She was still breathing raggedly, and she was kind of awake now, but he wasn't sure if she really knew what was going on.

"...Naruto?"

"Yeah, I'm right here."

"Where's Miku? Is she...Is she alright?"

"Um...Yeah, she's just...sleeping?"

Luna nodded slowly. "Oh, okay." Naruto gave Rei a panicked look via her rearview mirror. "Holy SHITMONKEY, she totally accepted the lamest lie in history. WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO HERRRR?"

"When someone's strangled, depending on the pressure used and the time it takes, serious injuries could occur. Basically, what you're doing when you're strangling someone is you're cutting off blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Luckily, you only cut it off for about a minute, hopefully less, so the damage shouldn't be severe nor permanent."

"It all depends on the person," Kei added before shouting along with everyone else as Rei made a sharp turn to avoid a random squirrel that REFUSED to move out of her way, causing the car to nearly flip over as it balanced on only two wheels before finally righting itself.

"REI-REI, I THINK LUNA'S LIFE- AND OURS- ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SQUIRREL'S!"

"SHUT UP, NARUTO, I'M TRYING TO DRIVE!"

"Good point. You need all the help you can get," Naruto muttered.

* * *

He glanced down at Luna as she coughed a little violently, and he righted her head again as it lolled to the side. "Stay awake, okay?" He said gently, and she huffed but nodded slightly.

"Why is she still not able to breathe too well?" He asked, since they seemed to be such EXPERTS on the subject.

"It's only temporary. I'm sure she's probably in shock, considering she at first had no idea why she was suffocating. Her brain's probably just trying to regulate itself again, as are the veins and arteries in her neck," Kei replied.

Naruto sweatdropped. "How do you know so much about this, you guys?"

"College," They replied in unison as Rei floored the gas, making them all lean back in their seats.

His temple throbbed. "...Great...REI went to college, too."

She smiled a little. "That's where I met Yuu." Naruto resisted the urge to shout in surprise when something warm attached itself to his hand, but then he realized it was just _Luna's_ hand.

"Naruto?"

"Huh?"

"My throat hurts...It hurts really bad...And I'm really confused, but I don't even know why," She whimpered, leaning her head against his shoulder. His stomach fell down to his toes, and he nodded. "I know you are, I know it hurts. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"Why the hell're YOU sorry?" He wondered.

"Because my Mini-Me's such a deviant little bitch," She croaked with a hint of a smile, and he grinned at her.

"At least _you _grew out of it."

* * *

Once they got there, they were lucky enough to be four of seven people in the waiting room, and considering Luna wasn't breathing too well and her neck was starting to bruise, they were almost immediately assisted.

She held onto Naruto's hand for dear life until he had to make her let go so he could carry her, and then she gripped his arm instead.

Naruto knew she wasn't too fond of hospitals thanks to the Agency, and wasn't too surprised with the way she was acting.

Rei and Kei watched with sweatdrops as he pretty much had to pry himself away from her so the nurse could get her in a hospital gown, and he huffed at them as the nurse closed the curtain.

"...She doesn't like hospitals."

"For a secret agent, there sure is a lot she's afraid of," Rei mused thoughtfully. They all sweatdropped as they heard Luna struggling, declaring the nurse MUST be trying to strangle her since she was trying to slip cloth over her head.

"MISS, you're NAKED," The poor woman told her gently while continuing to try and dress Luna.

"THANKS TO YOU!" She croaked before having another coughing fit.

It was quiet after that, and Naruto glanced at Rei. "...If you'd been through what she has, you'd probably have a lot to fear, too."

"How would you know?" Kei grumbled.

He smirked. "She told me. Because she TRUSTS me. Oh, and COLLEGE doesn't teach a course on _Luna_. Sorry."

He figured he had a right to be smug, FINALLY knowing a ton of things on a subject Kei knew almost nothing about.

The nurse pulled the curtain thing back, preparing an IV drip, and Naruto went right back to her side.

"Like a lap dog," Kei said with a sweatdrop.

"Naaah, more like a St. Bernard or golden retriever," Rei replied with a smile as Naruto tried to distract Luna so she wouldn't notice the IV being put in her arm.

...But like hell THAT worked out the way he planned.

* * *

"AAAHHH! WHAT THE HELL?" Luna screeched, tears springing to her eyes.

"Oh, sorry, I missed."

"WHAAAT?" Naruto and Luna screeched. The nurse laughed nervously and flicked Luna's wrist a couple times after tying some kind of band against her forearm, towards her elbow.

Slowly, the vein running from her wrist up her arm became more pronounced, standing out sharply against the darker shade of the Tattoo. Naruto winced as Luna squeezed his hand unbelievably hard. "Please...I'm begging you...DON'T MISS," He told the nurse, starting to lose feeling in his hand but at the same time feeling more pain.

She seemed to be trying not to laugh, but nodded and bent over Luna's arm again. "Okaaay, this MIGHT hurt a little-"

"GAH! NARUTO, SHE'S LYING, IT WON'T HURT, RIGHT?"

"No, she's not lying, but-"

"NOOO!"

"OH COME ON, YOU'VE GOT A KILLER TATTOO ON YOU RIGHT NOW AND YOU'VE JUST RECENTLY GOTTEN YOUR FOOT IMPALED! I THINK YOU CAN HANDLE A NEEDLE!"

"BUT NEEDLES ARE SO MUCH SCARIER!" She shouted before squeezing his hand so hard he swore a bone popped out of place briefly before going back to its normal position. "OWOWOWOW, NARUTO, MAKE HER STOP!"

"STOOOOOP!" He shouted from the floor, due to being brought to his knees thanks to Luna's freakish strength.

Rei and Kei were sweatdropping more and more by the second. "...She probably shouldn't be yelling so much, it CAN'T be good for her throat right now."

"Indeed."

* * *

Finally, the nurse got it in right, and Luna laid back against her pillow with a sigh. "Ahhh, better. Thanks, Naruto."

"No problem..." He groaned weakly from the floor as she gently let go of his hand, smiling down at him apologetically.

"...I don't like doctors, or needles."

"I know, Loon, I know."

"The, uh...doctor...should be in shortly," The nurse said while backing towards the door almost fearfully.

The drugs had Luna knocked out in no time, and Naruto was still grumbling about his hand when the doctor came in at least ten minutes later.

He did a few random things to Luna, under the careful eyes of Naruto and Kei, and wrote some things down on his clipboard.

Finally, he nodded at them grimly. "She'll be fine. You're lucky whoever did this quit when he did. Much longer, and she might've suffered some serious trauma to her brain."

"Why do you immediately assume it was a man?" Naruto asked anxiously.

"Because around 95% of strangulation cases occur as man-on-woman," He replied at the same time Kei and Rei did.

Naruto sweatdropped, and they simply smiled at him. "College," All three of them replied, making his sweatdrop turn into a temple throb.

He shifted the ice pack on his hand and cleared his throat nervously. "But, um, she's...gonna be okay? For sure?"

"She _should_ be fine, but nothing's definite. If she DOES pull through, as I expect her to, she'll have a bit of a sore throat for a day or two, maybe a couple headaches, but nothing major. She's very lucky. I'd like to keep her here overnight, maybe tomorrow as well, for observation. Just in case."

The doctor headed towards the door, holding it open so a nurse could come in to up Luna's dosage of meds. While she was preoccupied with that, Naruto leaned towards Rei and Kei. "How come none of 'em have said anything about the Tattoo moving around?"

"Only those who have visited the Manor of Sleep can see that Tattoo. Hence why previous victims were believed to suffer from a disease, because doctors thought they were just imagining the tattoos," Kei explained.

Naruto nodded slowly, and the nurse planted her hands on her wide hips, tapping her foot impatiently. "Visiting hours are over, LONG over."

Naruto groaned. "Aww, can't we stay?"

She looked at him. "Only immediate family. Brother, sister, spouse, parent." "Well, she's my sister!" Naruto declared.

The nurse gave him a once-over. "...You sure about that?" Rei stepped in to save the day, making Naruto sigh in relief. "ACTUALLY, he meant that _I_ was his sister. Luna's his...um...FIANCE! Yes, his fiance."

The stout older nurse gave them all a hard look, sweatdropping at Naruto. "Fiance, huh? ...How old ARE you, anyway, young man?"

"Nineteen...AND A HALF!" He declared, striding over to Luna's side. "And I refuse to be separated from my, uh, _fiancee _when she's in the hospital! So...YEAH."

She sweatdropped again, and just chuckled before ushering Kei and Rei out. "I'll tell you what, how about you get to stay for trying so hard, boy?"

"Thanks!" He called after her, and she waved a hand in acknowledgement as she moved on to another room.

Naruto sighed tiredly, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing around the room briefly. The only sounds were the monitors and her still-slightly-ragged breathing.

The meds were already starting to help her breathing. He noticed she had fallen asleep with her head propped up, and knowing how much she hated that, took one pillow out from under her carefully.

He came dangerously close to laughing when she turned over, taking the pillow with her and more-or-less cuddling with it.

A little chuckle escaped from him, and he stroked her hair briefly before getting comfortable on the couch.

* * *

Luna woke up to the sound of monitors beeping. In a sterile room. _Again_. She nearly panicked, but then she opened her eyes and saw Naruto passed out to her right, calming her down just a little.

She couldn't believe she hadn't heard his snoring. Used to the Tattoo's pain by now, she barely even registered it compared to how sore her throat was.

It was then she remembered Naruto accidentally strangled her. _Man, that sounded so messed up in my head. __**Accidentally**__ strangled me._

After thinking about it for a second, she also remembered squeezing the hell out of his hand, and that foolish fear of hers making her think the nurse was trying to smother her.

That foolish fear was partly why she called out his name to try and wake him up, but it was mainly because it was way too quiet in there and she needed some kind of distraction. "...Naruto?" She croaked, making a face after hearing her voice. It was the worst it had ever been. Not hoarse, exactly, but very strained.

It surprised her when he actually woke up, it was quite unlike him. "Huh?"

"Can we go back to Rei's now?"

He sat up with a yawn, shaking his head. "Sorry, Loon, they wanna keep you here for a night or two." Luna paled. "O-Oh. Okay. Has Miku woken up yet?"

"I dunno, I've been _here _all night," He announced proudly. Luna sweatdropped. "Do you want a medal?"

"That'd be awesome!"

"Naruto, I was just being- ...Nevermind." He crossed his arms moodily. "No thank-you necessary or anything."

"Thank you?"

"Why, you're so _welcome_! Glad to see I'm appreciated!" Luna sweatdropped. "...Naruto, did you switch IVs with me or something?"

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Naruto asked, scratching his head thoughtfully. She smirked and shook her head. "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

* * *

A random nurse came in and checked her vitals, and Luna noticed Naruto kept glancing at her neck. She must've had a mark show up there from where his hands had been. Well, technically, his hands were never there. Well, sort of, they were there on a past version of herself, which meant they were on her, but at the same time NOT on her and...and...Luna just totally confused herself.

Awesome.

With a smile and thumbs-up at them both, the young nurse left, and Luna looked at him carefully. "...Take a picture, it lasts longer," she commented while pointing to her neck.

He tore his eyes away from her neck to rub the back of _his _neck and laugh anxiously. "Sorry, guess I zoned out."

"...It's not your fault, you know. How were you supposed to know that by strangling her you would kill me as well? I always thought she was no longer living, therefore there was no living connection between us," She said suddenly.

Naruto was busy looking at anything but her. "Yeah, but I shouldn't have let her piss me off that easily."

"It was the song?"

"Partly."

"...Why do you hate it so much? The song?" She asked carefully. He let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck again. "It's...kind of stupid. ...When I was a kid, I was so mad at my parents. Leaving me like that. I didn't know who they were, or what they had done, all I knew was that I had a demon in me and they left me to deal with it and the people that hated me for it on my own."

He paused, and Luna's eyes went down to the hospital bed. "I started to remember the song as I got older. I guess it was something my mom used to sing to me. I don't know if they're the exact words, or if I changed them to match how much I used to hate her for leaving me by myself...But after meeting my mom and dad...Just hearing that song makes me feel so guilty..."

He laughed a little, the kind of laugh that meant he didn't find it too funny. "I've got a lot to be guilty about lately."

Luna traced the odd pattern on the bed. "...Don't feel guilty. Please. I forgive you, I know your parents do...No use beating yourself up over things. It won't change the outcomes," She said quietly.

There was silence for a few minutes. "...Hey, Luna?" She jumped a little at the sudden noise. "Yeah?"

"Does it hurt? Your neck?"

She shrugged, still looking at her sheets. "A little. Thanks to these meds, it's not so bad. I suppose it'll hurt for a while, but I'm a big girl," She added with a hint of a whine, trying to lighten the mood a little.

She jumped yet again when he suddenly plopped onto her bed, not noticing he had moved. Luna glanced at him briefly before coughing and looking down to fiddle with the hospital bracelet on her wrist.

"Hey."

"Yes?"

"Why do ya forgive me so easily? I almost killed you!"

She paused, thinking about that one. Why DID she forgive him so easily? After a few moments of pondering, she looked at him. "Because I know you'd never hurt me purposely, I think. Because I trust you."

He stared at her for a second, and she went back to fiddling with her bracelet. Luna's fiddling grew as she felt her hair being brushed off her shoulder, and a thumb running slowly across her neck.

Judging from the soreness that sprang up suddenly, there must've been a rather unsightly bruise there.

She closed her eyes briefly, almost _enjoying _the pain, but then they heard someone clear their throat and her eyes snapped open. "...Maybe I should come back later?"

They both blinked at the person as if not believing what they were seeing.

"...Will? WHAT THE HELL ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?"


	41. Kayako, Toshio, Will, IT'S A PARTY!

****

Back again! ...I know, SHOCKER. Weeelll, we pick up on our semi-cliffhanger! Review, ask, and ENJOOOOY!

* * *

Will stood in the doorway of her hospital room, tapping his fingers on the wall, grinning rather suggestively.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Luna pushed Naruto right off her bed, knocking him AND his fingers off, and she laughed nervously.

"NOT AT ALL!" She declared over the loud _**CRASH!**_, _**THUD**_, and "OWWW!" that followed.

"Dammit, Loon, that HURT!"

Will jumped all over that one, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Oooh, so you're LOON now, _huuuh_?"

Luna's temple throbbed. "...Naruto, it would be in your best interest to just stop talking." "Okay, I'll just focus on popping my arm back into place," He groaned, making her roll her eyes.

_What a drama queen._

Will must've just noticed the Tattoo, because his eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Holy crap...NARUTO, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER?"

"WHAAAT?" He exclaimed indignantly from the floor. Luna sighed as her heart monitor spiked up with agitation. "WILL, he didn't _do_ anything, I-"

"Was there drinking involved? Did he do it himself, or did he take you to a Tattoo Parlor? DID YOU USE PROTECTION? ARE YOU PREGNANT?" He shrieked, his voice getting shriller with each question.

Luna sweatdropped. "...WILLIAM SASAKI, I AM STILL A VIRGIN, AND NARUTO IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY TATTOO, SO STOP MAKING A FOOL OF YOURSELF!"

"I'M NO FOOL! ...Hey, wait...You remember your last name, sis?"

She felt a pang, and the hurt showed on her face. "_You_ already did? And you never told me about it? Or what I _did_?"

There was a silence that seemed to drag on for forever, and it was broken by a sickening (almost deafening) _**POP**_, followed by Naruto groaning.

Luna shot straight into a sitting position, looking down at him. "Naruto, what the hell did you DO?"

"TOLD YOU, I had to pop my arm back in place!" He replied, still groaning. Luna laughed nervously, attempting to get out of bed and sighing in defeat as the IV stopped her. "...Sorry, I _would_ help you, but..."

She looked over at Will, who was looking guilty over in the doorway. "HELP HIM, IDIOT!"

"OKAY, OKAY! ...Jeez, my sister falls in love with a guy and makes ME miserable too..." He grumbled.

"I AM _NOT_ IN LOVE!" She shouted. A nurse ran in, waving her arms. "Quit shouting, you're disturbing the other patients!" She scolded.

She glared at Will and Naruto, who were brushing themselves off, and the two testosterone-filled idiots laughed nervously. "S-Sorry."

"You should be. This place is full of sick people who don't want to have to hear the idiotic arguments of..._children_," she said disdainfully, eyeing them warily.

She checked Luna's vitals while she was in there before stalking out. Will sighed and sat in the space beside her. "So, who's the sick douchebag I need to delimb for strangling you?"

_**THUD.**_

Will and Luna sweatdropped; Naruto had keeled over on the floor of her hospital room. Her brother leaned towards her stealthily.

"...Was he dumb enough to eat the hospital food?"

* * *

Luna sweatdropped again, but just nodded, not wanting him to kill the person she was assigned to KEEP ALIVE. "...Yes. Indeed he was."

She looked over and up at her brother. "Will, I know I killed them."

He sighed and put an arm around her shoulders. "I didn't expect you to remember this soon. ...So...How'd you find this out?"

Luna glanced at the unconscious Naruto before inhaling deeply. "Well..."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

She waited anxiously for him to say something, ANYTHING. Finally, he made a clicking noise with his tongue and spoke.

"...So...There's a half-naked woman stalking the halls of the Manor of Sleep, trying to grab you and Naruto?"

Luna sweatdropped. "...Of COURSE you jump right to the half-naked woman part of my explanation. Her name is Reika, AS I EXPLAINED, and yes. Not just us, but Rei and Kei. I believe she has already gotten Miku, but I really hope I am wrong..."

Will nodded. "And...There's a younger version of YOU there? That's trying to punish you for killing mom and dad?"

Luna sighed and nodded. "That about sums it up."

"...What does THAT have to do with me hearing about you being hospitalized, and coming over here to find NARUTO over there stroking your neck?"

Her temple throbbed. "Be-CAUSE, I got injured _within the Manor_. Naruto, Rei, and Kei brought me here. ...And he wasn't stroking me, jeez!"

"What the hell would YOU call it?"

"I would call it...uh...I'd caaaallll iiiiittt...THAT'S NOT RELEVANT, NOW FORGET IT EVER HAPPENED!" She shouted, making him jump and Naruto groan.

"Unnnhh...No...Not CHLORINE! I CAN'T DRINK CHLORINE!" Will and Luna sweatdropped, and she shook her head with a grin.

"He talks in his sleep. Often."

Will grinned and ruffled her hair. "Well, whaddaya know! He talks in his sleep, you laugh in YOUR sleep, you two have so much in common!"

"I do _not_ laugh in my sleep, that's ridiculous!"

He snorted a laugh. "OKAY, sure you don't."

"I DON'T!"

"Alright, alright, whatever you say!" Luna opened her mouth to retaliate, but sighed and leaned back against her pillow moodily. "I thought hospital patients were supposed to get special treatment."

"But you are! I'm being even more annoying than usual!" Luna huffed again in reply, and Will just laughed and kissed the top of her head, sliding his arm out from between her shoulders and the pillow.

"Get some rest, sis. I'll go getchya some food." He looked down at Naruto and shook his head. "REAL food. Guess he deserves some too for being brave enough to eat hospital food. ...Or _stupid _enough."

_

* * *

_

_Naruto scratched his head in confusion. Before him lay an interesting sight. Rei-Rei's cat was dressed as the Terminator, Kayako and Toshio from The Grudge were there, Yoshino was there, and they were all having some kind of tea party._

"_...Wait...WHERE'S THE SUGAR? WHAT'S GOING ON?" He demanded. Ruri the cat slammed down her tea cup. "IDIOT, we don't use sugar. We use...CHLORINE!"_

_Naruto jumped back with an overdramatic gasp. "No...Not CHLORINE! I CAN'T DRINK CHLORINE!"_

_Toshio put a hand to his mouth. "But...that means...YOU CAN'T JOIN OUR TEA PARTY! AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHERE OUR VICTIMS GO AFTER MOM AND I MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR!"_

_Naruto flung his hands towards the sky in dismay. "NOOOOOO!" Yoshino ran off as fast as she could. "DON'T WORRY, NARUTO, I SHALL FETCH SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER!"_

_Kayako held up a teaspoon full of chlorine. "Just because you can't drink it, doesn't necessarily mean you can't EAT IT! ...I think."_

_Naruto beamed. "HEY, you're right! No one ever mentioned not being able to EAT IT!" He took the spoon gratefully, guiding it towards his mouth happily._

_Suddenly, Naruto saw Luna running towards him in slow motion for whatever reason. "NOOOO, DOOOOON'T EAAAAT THAAAAT!"_

_Too late, he was already chewing it by the time she got half of her sentence out. She was then running normally, and flung her hands towards the sky in dismay. "NOOOOOO!"_

_Kayako shrugged as Naruto fell to his knees. "...Whoops. Guess he can't **eat** it, either." Toshio stirred his cup and shrugged as well._

_The random characters watched on as Luna propped him up on her legs. "Naruto, you IDIOT! It wasn't REIKA I should've saved you from, NOOOO, the CHLORINE'S gonna kill you!"_

_Ruri suddenly was wearing a Sherlock Holmes costume, and blew her bubble-blowing pipe knowingly. "Ahh, but Luna, you can save him!"_

"_...I_ _can?"_

"_Indeed! See, the poison of chlorine SHOULD be overrided by...A MAKEOUT SESSION!"_

"_WHAAAT?" They shouted, Luna with dismay and Naruto with excitement._

_Kayako leaned forward in her chair eagerly, waving Luna off. "Baahh, just do it! Do you want him to DIE, just because you wouldn't make out with him?"_

_She looked at Kayako, then him, and sighed. "...Nooo..." "DOOO IT, DOOOO IT!" The characters chanted. Aubrey from The Grudge Two randomly showed up and started cheering as well. "DOOO IT, DOOO IT! DO IT FOR ME AND EASON, WE DIED, REMEMBERRRR?"_

_"Aw DAMMIT, not the GUILT CARD!" Luna whined. She sighed heavily and __narrowed her eyes at Naruto. "We never speak of this again?"_

_Naruto grinned. "Only if you want more!" Luna rolled her eyes, and with a whine, she kissed him. It got intense in close to no time at all, and Naruto could tell he wasn't the only one enjoying it as her hand went up to grip the back of his neck, pulling him even closer to her._

_Kayako and Toshio clinked their cups together triumphantly. "All-RIGHT, tea AND a show!" Kayako exclaimed as Naruto's hand slipped under her shirt, running up her back slowly. He suspected it was all a dream, but her skin felt so REAL. Soft and warm, as usual. Yoshino came back right around then, totally oblivious. _

"_HEY, Naruto, I brought you some Starbucks since you can't- ...Whoa, BABY!" She exclaimed as they heard what sounded like a really hot moan from Luna._

* * *

"YAY!" Naruto exclaimed as he managed to unclasp her bra, but then he realized he was awake now and still on the floor of the hospital room. With no makeout session. And no unclasped bra.

Luna glanced over at him, pausing from her heavy slurping and waving her McDonald's cup happily. "Yay indeed! It IS quite delectable!"

Naruto sweatdropped, and struck the Ultimate Depression Pose. "...DAMMIT!"

Luna eyed him worriedly. "Are you alright?" She asked before continuing to suck on her straw exaggeratedly. Which brought his attention to her lips. Which did not help ONE EFFING BIT!

"I WAS, before I woke up!" He wailed. Will sweatdropped as well from his spot on Luna's bed. "...Sis, ignore that moron, it's your go." She nodded quickly and stopped sucking the hell out of her straw.

"Oh, right!" With that, she laid down a Draw Four, and Will groaned. "I should've just let an argument ensue!" He whined as he drew four cards from the stack dramatically.

Luna rolled her eyes and smiled at Naruto as he stood up, waving her cup around. "I have acquired my very first shakemilk!"

Will smirked. "Milkshake."

"MILKSHAKE! Yes, milkshake. A chocolate one," she declared happily. "I brought you some fries, dude, but she ate 'em all and said she deserved them more than you," Will added. His sister glared at him before laying down a Draw Three, making him groan again.

"DAMMIT, THAT'S JUST CRUEL!"

"Maybe next time you won't correct me," She said simply. He sighed and slapped his hand against each card he drew for emphasis.

"SO, is it true that you have the hots for this Miku chick?" Will asked Naruto casually as he studied his MANY new cards.

Luna's temple throbbed, and she kicked him before laying down another Draw Three. Will groaned unbelievably loud as he drew more cards. "LUNA, NOW I HAVE EIGHTEEN CARDS! _EIGHTEEN_! We start out with SEVEN!"

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!" She shouted back before laying down a Wild.

"He can't help it that you're jealous," Naruto commented with a smirk. Luna's temple throbbed, and she looked down at her cards as if she had an evil plan formulating.

"...The color's blue," She declared in a voice so deadly Naruto almost feared for his life, while Will just chuckled and shook his head.

"Ahhh, Luna. I missed ya."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****HOURS LATER...**_

Luna lay in her bed fast asleep, milkshake still in her hand, her breathing only slightly ragged now. The doctor had come in earlier, right before she went to sleep, and told them she could go home whenever she wanted.

She had brightened so much it was scary, but she was too tired to go anywhere, so now they were all just waiting for her to wake up. Naruto watched as Will plucked the cup out of his sister's hand, setting it on the table.

He adjusted her pillows so she was laying down flat. "Oh, she only likes one pillow," Naruto blurted before thinking about it.

Will stared at him for a second before laughing and removing one of her pillows carefully. "Oh, that's right. Wow, I don't know whether to be impressed, offended...or sympathetic."

"Hey, whaddaya mean by _sympathetic_?"

"Take it how you want it," He replied with a shrug. Luna turned onto her side, as usual, and Will sat beside her legs tiredly.

Naruto finally sighed in defeat, not able to take the guilt that had been slowly growing in his stomach any longer. "Okay, FINE, I'll admit it. I, uh...I'm the one that strangled her." Will stared at him as if he had grown two extra heads. "...Dude, are you shitting me?"

"No. I didn't _mean _to! I was strangling her Mini-Luna, but apparently what happens to one of them happens to the other, and...no one told me...Luckily, Miku stopped me, or else..." He glanced at Luna, who still had chocolate smeared across the side of her cheek.

"She'd probably be brain dead right now, if not worse," He finished for him. Naruto eyed him suspiciously. "...How come you're not delimbing me?"

Will shrugged. "Because. One, I'm tired. And two..." He glanced at Luna as well, grinning. "I got the old Luna back. The one before Alex. Man, that little dickhead messed her up. I thought she'd never be back to normal after that. But...I think she's back now, thanks to you."

* * *

They were silent for a moment, and after squeezing her legs and tucking the covers around her some more, Will headed for the door. "I guess I should be going. I'm lucky Renji and Ayumi covered for me, I'm not supposed to leave the other Japan without clearance from Tara, and if SHE found out...Well, you'd probably be her next meal."

He paused in the doorway to grin at him as Naruto continued to pale. "All I can say is, you're lucky Ichigo, Rukia, and Becs don't know about this. You'd DEFINITELY be eaten alive."

Naruto gulped, shuddering at the thought, before cocking an eyebrow. "Wait, how'd YOU know she was in the hospital?"

Will grinned. "You don't think I remember Kei Amakura, the kid next door?"

"But...Then why didn't..."

He just winked at him. "Us older brothers do lots of things no one else would understand. All for them," He replied, cocking his head towards Luna. And on that note, he left.

Naruto sighed, beyond confused, and wondered if he would be able to pick up where he left off on that dream from earlier.

...Man, was THAT out of the ordinary. He was used to having dreams about random things, and he'd had _tons _of perverted dreams about _several _girls over the years. But that was the first perverted dream he'd had about _Luna_.

"I should have some more about you, you're a lot less violent in them," He told Luna matter-of-factly. She snored and giggled groggily about milkshakes in reply.


	42. Mind Yo Bizz'ness!

** Back! At this point, I think there's only one dream session- maybe two- left, so no more than four chapps remaining! **

**Anyway. I'd like to dedicate this chapp to my granddad, who died four years ago today. Miss ya. :(**

**Well, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

"I believe you hated the hospital even more than _I_ did," Luna mused as they finally reached Rei's driveway.

He had carried her the whole way, all eighteen miles or so, getting her out of the hospital almost before she fully awoke.

Naruto drooped. "You have NO IDEA. I never thought I'd say this, but I really hope I dream of the Manor of Gay tonight. And ONLY the Manor of GAY!"

"Manor of Gay," Luna repeated with a sweatdrop before shrugging. "Whatever sinks your submarine, Naruto."

"You mean 'whatever floats your boat'?" He asked with a grin, and Luna huffed. "You say tomato, I say potato."

"You mean 'you say tomato, I say t-'"

"I say SHUT UP!" She snapped as he opened Rei's door with the key hidden under a flower pot, making him laugh, which made her laugh too.

Their laughter trailed off when they noticed how sullen Kei and Rei looked on her couch, sitting on opposite ends.

Kei had his face almost completely buried in his notes, while Rei was looking just plain tired, staring out the window.

"...Aw, c'mon you guys, don't look so DEFEATED!" Luna said suddenly.

Naruto glanced at her. "That's more like something _I_ would say, Loon."

"Well, _I_ just said it, so NEH."

Rei smiled tiredly at her. "Good to see you're back and alright." Luna frowned. "But...Miku still isn't. Is she."

Kei and Rei shook their heads, and after squirming around a lot in his arms, she finally got Naruto to put her down. "I wanna go see Miku."

He moved to pick her up again with a shrug. "Alright." Luna waved him off, walking up the stairs. "By myself. It's my _neck_ you choked, not my _legs_."

"MINI-YOU, I choked your Mini-You!"

"Whatever."

* * *

Miku looked to be asleep, her Tattoo throbbing dimly against her translucently pale skin. Luna had to admit, she had been jealous of Miku's radiance since the first time she saw her in person.

But at the moment, it looked like her radiance didn't make much of a difference when Luna was the one still standing.

Luna sighed tiredly and sat on Miku's bed, beside her legs. "I suppose Naruto lied to me when he said you were merely sleeping. I am surprised I remember him telling me that, actually...But either way..."

She sighed again, expecting Miku to moan or call for Mafuyu to come back or her mother to leave her alone, as she usually did when Luna was the only one still awake.

Though Luna hated to admit it, she was usually the last one to fall asleep because she was terrified to go back to that dark and cold Manor, the one in which no matter how many layers of socks she wore, she was always forced to be barefoot.

And wearing her pajamas. Barefoot and wearing pajamas, just like when she killed her parents. Her hair was always fixed the same, as well. Always longer and wilder, much like how wild her eyes must've looked when she was taking that kitchen knife and-

Luna squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head quickly before smiling grimly at Miku. "You may find this hard to believe, but you are SO much braver than me, Miku. So...I promise I'll keep you alive. You won't die, not on my watch. ...Granted I have only worn a watch twice in my life, but I believe that's besides the point."

* * *

"There might still be some hope," Kei was saying when she came back downstairs sullenly. Rei brightened, and Luna sat between Kei and Naruto quietly.

"This book was left inside an old shrine not far from the Manor of Sleep. It seems to date from a time when the house was referred to as the 'Kuze House' or 'The Sleeping Shrine'. It's not easy to read much of it now, but it has something to do with a 'Ceremony of Commandment'."

"**The chosen maiden is put onto **

**the**-"

Naruto looked up at Kei. "HEY, Ky, we already READ this long crap! You're giving us recycled material, dude!" Luna sweatdropped as he flipped through it.

"Yeah, she has to break the mirror and...sever ties...something something something- PAIN OF THE HOLLY! Yeah! C'mon, man, we got this in our last dream!"

_**BAM!**_

"Owww!"

"He was just trying to help! He's done more to help solve this mystery than _you_ have!" Luna fumed.

"Oh, and like YOU'VE been a huge help! The only things YOU'VE managed to do is get strangled, get a killer Tattoo like the other three, SOMEHOW know a song from my childhood, and constantly be tortured by a past version of you!"

"...Yes, but I also got groped by the Ghost Groper Clan, helped fend off Shrine Maidens AND other ghosts, solve puzzles, help remember where things are located...AND got impaled in the foot, REMEMBER?"

"Yeah, well I carried you...EVERYWHERE!"

"YOU DID IT EVEN THOUGH I SAID _NOT_ TO, MORON!"

"_And_ I removed the stake from your foot!"

"BECAUSE I _BEGGED_ YOU!"

"BOTH OF YOU, LET IT GO, DAMMIT!" Kei and Rei shouted angrily, temples throbbing omiously.

Rei smiled at Kei. "Please continue." He nodded, glaring at Naruto when she and Luna weren't looking.

"It was written by a scholar of folklore named Akito Kashiwagi about the 'Sleeping Priestess,' but the same material appears in this book as well." He moved to hand Luna the other book, but Naruto intercepted it, flipping through it importantly.

"Ahem. Oh, WHAT? TEN PAGES? HELL NO! I ALREADY READ _THIS_ TOO!" Naruto huffed, handing it to Luna, who shoved it back into his gut with a temple throb.

"KEEP it."

"OW," He groaned as the wind got knocked out of him, and Kei waited with a sweatdrop for his coughing to cease before continuing.

"...In a nutshell, both materials indicated that in the 'Rite of Commandment,' or 'Rite of the Stakes,' by impaling the Priestess with the Tattoo Stake you subdue her for eternity."

"The doors it mentioned could refer to the gates of hell. And now, for whatever reason, they've been opened."

Naruto snickered and pointed at Luna. "And here that old guy in Konoha by the watermelon stand thought you'd fallen from heaven! YOU'RE probably why the gates are open!"

_**BAM!**_

"THE KIND OLD MAN WAS CORRECT, HOW _DARE_ YOU QUESTION HIS THEORY!"

"I CALL BULLSHIT!"

"I CALL ANOTHER INJURY!"

"What the hell does THAT me-" _**BAM!**_

Naruto groaned after she hit him again, shaking his head. "...Ah. THAT'S what you meant."

* * *

Rei just sighed and shook her head, and Kei facepalmed before continuing. "...Anyway. If we can impale the Priestess' limbs with the Tattoo Stakes, then we may be able to put her to rest..."

"And end the curse?" Naruto said hopefully.

"And end the curse," Luna and Kei said in unison, nodding.

"Where do we find these Tattoo Stakes?" Rei asked, grinning with hope. He shrugged. "I think they must be somewhere in the Manor, since they're specially made for a ritual within the Shrine."

He suddenly looked at Rei with interest. "I remember Yuu said that he had found a tape with this song recorded on it...Did you happen to hear him say anything about that?"

Rei shook her head. "No, but it may be in his room. I'll go take a look." As she went up the stairs, Luna sighed and stood.

"Where you goin'?"

"Not far."

For whatever reason, she just felt like being alone. She felt depressed. Was it seeing Miku like that? Or was the pain of the Tattoo finally starting to get the better of her?

Either way, it didn't take long for Luna to find the perfect place. She fell asleep talking to Yoshi in the closet next to Yuu's shrine.

* * *

"_**Mio...Where are you? Why do you want to die so badly? Is it Mayu's disappearance? Why have you given up hope of finding your twin sister?"**_

"_**I don't understand...if I know I'm forgiven by Will, and he's really the only family I've known...why is the guilt still eating me alive? Why should I be remorseful about people I don't even fully remember, much less have an emotional attachment to?"**_

"_**I don't like how this is looking. Am I the only one that hasn't given up? Are we...really gonna die?"**_

* * *

"_Either way...It'll all be over soon..." Kei was saying as Luna came to. She sighed tiredly, having enjoyed having an imageless sleep for a few hours before it was time to enter the Manor of Sleep._

_Or "Manor of GAY," as Naruto loved to call it._

_Speaking of Naruto, he didn't groan for once after realizing they were with Kei. He looked about as tired as Kei and Luna did._

_They were in the area that first caused the miasma to leak out, only this time Naruto and Luna weren't on the roof._

_It was still snowy and ashy. Her feet were still barefoot. Her hair was still longer and wilder. And her skin was still throbbing from the stupid Tattoo Curse._

"_Impale the Priestess to subdue...the Tattoo Stakes must be somewhere within the mansion..."_

"_Is he monologuing?" Naruto stage-whispered to her. Luna simply nodded lazily, drawing up her knees and resting her head on it._

_She was just so...tired. Like all the energy had just been sucked from her. And the miasma wasn't even in effect yet._

_Suddenly, her head shot up with a gleeful gasp. "I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!" Everybody (the Demon Boy kid trying to sneak up on Naruto included) jumped about three feet in the air. _

"_LUNA, DAMMIT!" They all shouted. She staggered to her feet and made her way to the Spirit Tree Garden, just beyond the main doors._

_She was hopping as if running along hot coals, that's how cold the snow was. "The shrine altars! Those Shrine Maidens have stakes, no? And we found pretty much EVERYTHING ELSE that had to do with the Rite of Commandment in the shrine altar rooms or places CLOSE to them!"_

_Naruto and Kei ran after her. "You're a genius, Loon!"_

"_I know. I keep trying to tell you that."_

_Kei smiled and caught her by the elbow as she nearly faceplanted over a step she missed. "Thank you," She said brightly._

"_Anytime."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed as they smiled at each other. "Alright, c'mon, this ain't a junior high slow-dance, BACK UP A LITTLE!"_

_Luna glared at him but didn't protest; she simply stomped to the nearest shrine altar room. _

_In it, after looking around, Kei facepalmed himself. "Of COURSE! I can't believe I never noticed it!"_

_Between the candlelit ferris wheel-like thingies, there was a mini double-door shrine on a pedestal with figurine Japanese lanterns and a couple small candles. _

_Naruto poked one of the tiny candles and snickered. "Loon, look, it looks like that candle Shrek makes out of his earwax only smaller!"_

_**BAM!**_

"_Oww!"_

"_Idiot! ...HIS WAS GREEN!"_

"_IT STILL LOOKS THE SAME!"_

_Kei sweatdropped. "...Luna, I thought you'd get on to him for being an immature simpleton." Luna just shrugged. "No, I already knew that he was one."_

"_HEY!"_

"_NO NEED TO SHOUT, I AM RIGHT HERE! ...Hello, Naruto."_

_

* * *

_

_Naruto's temple throbbed, and Kei sighed and shook his head as the two started having a shouting match._

_He opened the double doors, and inside was a stake made of stone piercing the middle. In the shadow of the stone, at the lower part of the mini-shrine, there was extremely small script engraved._

_Kei could just barely make it out, and cleared his throat importantly. Miraculously, the two teens stopped shouting and peered over at him and the mini-shrine with interest._

"_Ooooh, look!"_

**_THWACK._**

"_Ow!"_

"_QUIET, HE'S TRYING TO READ! ...Carry on, Kei," Luna said sweetly, looking like a total angel while Naruto pretended to kill her in a number of ways while her back was to him._

"_**By the balance of light, purify the shadow**_

_**of the Tattoo Stake.**_

_**Subdue the Priestess in the Chamber of Needles.**"_

"_Sooo...basically, we have to get rid of the Stake's shadow...By adding and removing candles on these ferris wheels," Kei said miserably. Naruto grinned. "What, Ky, not manly enough to do it?"_

_Ky's temple throbbed so majorly it made Luna jump. "...Luna...Perhaps you and Naruto should go to the other doll altars and remove THOSE stakes...it would take less time..."_

_Luna sighed and dragged Naruto out by his shirt. "C'mon, moron."_

"_But Lu-naaa-"_

"_PICK UP THE PACE!"_

"_Alright, al-RIIIIGHT!"_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIVE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_Oh thank Goodness," Luna breathed in relief as he picked up a purifying light, jumping out of his arms. He drooped. "Don't look so EAGER to get down, jeez."_

_Luna rolled her eyes and led the way to the third doll altar. Well, second for them. Kei was presumably still in the third._

_She had found their first doll altar they encountered on their own relatively easy, and had it done in about a minute tops. The Shrine Maiden was easy for her to defeat, too._

"_Y'know, I'm surprised we didn't run into R..." He trailed off as they heard raspy breathing, and they ducked behind the dresser that was insanely far away from the wall (behind which they had found a Ghost Groper Clan Member a while back)._

"_GAH! NIPPLE NINJA!"_

_Luna sweatdropped and looked over at him. "...Nipple ninja." Naruto shrugged. "Have you not noticed? Reika could be poppin' tires with those things!"_

"_Shh, before she hears you!"_

"_Seriously, I'll have to show you once she comes by! She could just be like BAM! WhhhOOOOOOssssh!" He exclaimed, imitating a tire getting popped and deflated._

"_Shut up, moron!" Luna hissed between giggles, having no problem conjuring up a mental image of something like that happening._

_She couldn't help but peek at Reika as she strolled by, sobbing and doing her usual bit. Luna sweatdropped after looking the woman up and down. "...I see."_

_Naruto nodded. "Uh-huh. Told ya. She could be ruining little kids' birthday parties, popping everybody's balloons and crap!"_

"_Shhhh, keep it down," Luna begged as she covered her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud. Once Reika finally went away, they headed through Britney's room. _

_...Where Britney tried to basically molest Naruto._

_

* * *

_

_...Needless to say, Luna kicked some major ghost ass despite her condition, wrenching Naruto out of Britney's grip and pushing him aside. _

"_Oh HELL no. You wanna go? You wanna GO, YOU WALKING CADAVER?" _

_**"**__**Let's do this," **Britney hissed in her ghostly voice, lunging for Luna. Unfortunately, it was a fake-out, and she grabbed Naruto by his shirt instead, pulling him to her._

"_I. Won't. Let. You. GOOOO!"_

_Luna stomped after her, kicking her in the shin to make her drop Naruto before leading her away from him by running away dramatically. "Ohhh, save me! Save me! I have angered the almighty spirit of Kyouka Kuze! Whatever shall I do?"_

_Then she did a total about-face, Camera Obscura at the ready. "Oh, I know. KICK ASS!"_

_

* * *

_

_Luna continued shouting as she took total advantage of the surprised Kyouka. "Don't-" **FLASH!** "TOUCH-" **FLASH-FLASH-FLASH! **"My-" **FLASH-FLASH-FLASH** "LOVER! MINE! MINE MINE MINE!" _

_Naruto had been steadily sweatdropping for a while now, and at this he held up a finger questioningly. "...Um...Luna, what the hell are you talking about?"_

"_SHUT UP!" **FLASH! BAM!** Luna watched as Britney staggered away, holding her face where the younger girl had bashed it with her Camera Obscura._

_Luna waved her off. "That's right, back away. ...Back off, BACK OFF! MIND YO BIZZ'NESS, THAT'S ALL, JUST MIIIIIND YO BIZZ'NESS!"_

_With a wail of pure hatred and contempt, Britney left, leaving nothing but a diary with a purple cover._

"**Akiiiitoooo..."**

_Naruto's jaw was on the ground at this point, and he slowly shook his head. "...About a bazillion Fatal Frames and Combo Shots...Bashed a ghost's face in with a Camera Obscura...Quoted fricking FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR...Luna, where have you BEEN all my life?" He declared._

_

* * *

_

_She bent over to get the diary, hoping her hair hid the glow of her necklace. That moron. She flipped it open and cleared her throat._

"_Ahem. Uhhhh...Oh._

_**Akito hasn't come back.**_

_**Everyone disappears from the Manor, **_

_**leaving me behind.**_

_**I'm always the one who is left here,**_

_**combing my hair impatiently.**_

_**No matter how much I come by hair,**_

_**no matter how much I concentrate my**_

_**feelings, he never returns.**_

_**Could it be that the earring, the**_

_**child, neither of them will convey**_

_**my love to him?**"_

_

* * *

_

_They were silent for a moment, and Luna just nodded. "I bet you he was murdered. That, or she was just rather promiscuous and he told her what she wanted to hear so he could get laid."_

_Naruto just grinned. "Kinda like you? Because, APPARENTLY I'm your lover, huh?" **BAM!** "Owww!"_

"_SHE STILL THINKS YOU MIGHT BE AKITO! I was simply...removing any and all doubts, and...giving her...closure- CAN WE JUST KEEP GOING?" She snapped, stomping off._

_Naruto just grinned even bigger and followed her to the hallway in which they had first met Kei. She steered towards the storage closet. "I believe there are some herbal meds in here..." She said thoughtfully._

_He put a hand in front of her and strolled over to the closet. "Why don't you let the big strong LOVER take care of this." Luna crossed her arms across her middle, watching skeptically as he did some sort of suave spin mid-walk before planting his hands dramatically on the wood._

_He flung the doors open a- "GAH! HOLY CUPCAKE **JESUS**!" He screeched at the sight of the girl standing in the closet, who then proceeded to jump out at him once he whipped out his camera._

_She disappeared mere seconds later, and Naruto fell on his back in a daze. "...She...She touched me...SHE GRABBED MEEEEEE! Lu-naaa, that was SO FUCKING SCA-A-A-RRRYY!"_

_Luna stepped over him and plucked the container off the shelf contentedly. "Ah! Here's the herbal meds."_


	43. Misery

**Back! Okay, guys, I think there's about MAYBE two chapps left, depending on how this goes. Maybe 3. BUT NOT VERY MANY!**

**So send in those reviews and questions if you have any left! **

**That's pretty much all the news I've got at the moment, other than ENJOY! ...Because i practically gave myself juvenile arthritis writing more than half of this in one night XD**

_

* * *

_

_Naruto pouted as she stepped back over him again, stuffed the meds back into her pocket, and tapped her foot impatiently. "...You coming?"_

"_Lu-NAAA, did you not just SEE THAT?"_

"_Yeah, ghost girl. C'mon, hurry up! Purifying light's going down, we'll see worse things if we don't hurry up."_

_Naruto sighed heavily. "I guess you're right." They made their way to the door that had previously been locked, which they had UNLOCKED when going through the room with people-shaped sacks and had been arguing about love._

"_...Love is STILL stupid," Luna declared as they turned the corner to get to the aforementioned door._

_Naruto huffed. "NO, it's NOT, it's AW- ….HOLY EFFING CRAP, LUNA, LOOK!" He screeched, pointing at the mirror by the door._

_Though the door in real life was...just a door, in the mirror there was a Needle Woman standing there, making Death Rattle/Grudge Girl noises and waiting for them._

"_AAAAHHHH!" They both screamed, and Luna jumped into Naruto's arms much like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy._

_Needle Woman faded away like a ripple in the water, but they stood there panting and trying to slow their hearts down for a few seconds afterward. "Alright, she's gone."_

"_I know. I just...Could you carry me for a while?" Luna asked. When she asked that, Naruto thought she looked even wearier than she already did, which was really saying something._

_He grinned down at her and opened the door. "Sure, why not? After all, I AM your lover apparently."_

_Naruto started laughing as he heard a very audible growl from within his arms, but the laughter trailed off as the purifying light throbbed its warning._

_It was now down to the bare nub of its wick, and he ran around the room spastically. _

"_Oh no. OH NOOOO-ES! IT'S ABOUT TO GO OUT, LOON, AND I JUST RAN INTO A CREEPY SACK AND WHO **KNOWS** WHAT'S IN THAT THING? RIGHT? I MEAN...AHHH! YAY!" He exclaimed, picking up one that was on the altar right as his old one had just prepared to extinguish._

_Luna was currently gripping his arm for dear life, and her nails felt like they had broken the skin in a few places. "...I'm so happy for you. NOW PLEASE STOP SPAZZING OUT SO RECKLESSLY, DAMMIT!"_

_He laughed nervously and crouched down to open the trapdoor leading to the shrine. Luna hopped off him quickly, not liking how warm she felt once she realized she was basically in his lap as he opened it._

_He crawled in after her; they were now in one of the spaces under the floor. Luckily, it was the one in which they didn't have to crawl; Naruto wasn't exactly fond of the idea of all this Death Dirt seeping into the hole on Luna's foot, bandage or not._

_In the shrine, as expected, was another stake-thingie. Naruto watched in amusement as she immediately started fiddling with it, tilting her head this way and that to look at the angle of the stake and such._

_And other Super-Spy Tactic things he would probably never understand. Either way, she was entertaining whenever she did it._

"_Huh," Luna said thoughtfully after fiddling with it a little longer. "What?" _

"_On this one, you can manipulate BOTH ferris-wheel thingies."_

"_Oh, that should make it easier! We'll be done in NO TIME!" Naruto declared. Luna shook her head slowly. "Famous last words..."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FORTY-THREE ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_Luna?"_

"_Mm."_

"_Hey."_

"_Mm!"_

"_LOON!"_

"_I'M PAYING ATTENTION BUT AM CURRENTLY OTHERWISE ENGAGED, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT SO DAMN BADLY?" She screeched in reply, not taking her gaze away from the contraption she was STILL trying to manipulate._

"_Can I try?"_

"_Absolutely not."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because if I can't do it, I highly doubt YOU can!" "Well, obviously your thinking's a bit WRONG at the moment," Naruto pointed out._

_Luna abruptly stopped and straightened, turning to look at him. "Naruto...Did you just use LOGIC on me?"_

_He scratched his head thoughtfully before grinning. "Hey, I guess I did! ...Does this mean I can try it now?"_

"_NO."_

_He groaned, and after watching her struggle for about three more minutes, he finally sighed. "C'mon, Loon, step aside."_

"_No way."_

"_Loooon-"_

"_MY EGO'S AT STAKE HERE!"_

_Naruto rolled his eyes and simply picked her up a little off the ground by her hips, moved to the right about five steps, and plopped her back down on her feet._

_She glared daggers at him as he went over to look down at the contraption. After lots of chin-tapping, imaginary-beard-stroking, head-tilting, and the like...with one simple movement of removing one candle, the shadow disappeared._

_The stake fell into his hand with a final **THUNK**, and he grinned smugly at Luna. Normally, she'd hit him or something, but she was just happy to have it over and done with at this point._

"_AH! THANK YOU!" She grabbed him by the face and kissed both cheeks, then blinked at him innocently. "SAAAY, can you carry me some more once we get back above ground?"_

"_Suuuure," He said a little dazedly, and she waited until he couldn't see her to smirk and snicker to herself._

_A little more sucking up and a little less violence was all it took sometimes. __**Men really are simple creatures.**_

* * *

"_So where do ya think Ky the College-Going Wonder is?" Naruto asked a while later. They had been wandering aimlessly, which wasn't exactly the best thing to do when you have limited time until your purifying light goes out and you attract even deadlier ghosts._

_Luna shrugged. "No clue. I guess perhaps he has gone to find..." She trailed off as they heard sobbing. _

_It was a woman's voice. Naruto stopped abruptly, looking to their left. "Loon...That sounds like my mom..."_

_Luna shook her head slowly, making him sigh impatiently. "I think I'd know my own mom's voice!"_

"_Would you? How can you tell in a place like this? I too have heard things I'd rather not mention, but I know when it's real and when it is not."_

_The hairs on the back of her neck were currently standing on end, the scalp on the top of her head was tingling like crazy, and she felt all-around bad about this._

_She tugged on his shirt. "...Naruto, just keep going. Okay?"_

_He stared at her for the longest time before glancing in the direction of the sobbing and going in the opposite direction. Luna sighed in relief, letting out a breath she had no idea she'd been holding._

"_You better be right, or I'll shoot you myself," He muttered._

_A few quiet minutes later (because really, what was someone supposed to say after a tense moment like THAT?), Kei came running down the hallway. "Ah! There you two are! ...Naruto, the miasma hasn't kicked in yet," He pointed out._

_Naruto shrugged, and Luna resisted the urge to roll her eyes as his grip on her tightened. "So? She's tired."_

_She folded her arms across her middle defiantly. "I am not TIRED, I am simply accepting whatever break I can get in this hellhole."_

_Kei just smiled and shook his head, holding up two stakes. "Have you gotten the other two?" They nodded, and Naruto grinned smugly. "I did the hardest one, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS. REI-REI, MIKU, I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING THIS!"_

_Luna smacked him upside the head, making him pout and glare at her. "Idiot, you could be attracting ghosts!"_

"_But I'm NOT!"_

"_How do we know that?"_

"_...Well...Ah-HA! Your necklace isn't glowing! So no ghosts are around!" He pointed out triumphantly. Luna's temple throbbed. "No, it's not glowing, but I'm sure you'll find a way to MAKE IT start glowing."_

_Naruto grinned. "Ahhh, well, lovers tend to have that affect on the mind." Kei stopped to turn and look at them, jaw on the ground. _"_Uhh, WHAT the fuckity FUCK did you just say, Naruto?"_

_**BAM!**_

"_OW!"_

"_FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME, NARUTO, IT WAS TO PROTECT YOU FROM FURTHER MOLESTATION VIA KYOUKA!"_

"_SO YOU SAY!"_

_**BAM!**_

"_JUST SHUT UP!"_

"_Yes maaa'aamm," He replied as if she had told him no cookies until after dinner, or something equally mom-like and mundane. Kei just sighed and shook his head. "I...I don't think I'll **ever **understand you two."_

_They shrugged. "That's alright, half the time we don't understand each other anyways."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**THIRTY-FOUR ****MINUTES LATER...**_

"_BAM! OWNED!" Naruto shouted triumphantly after helping Kei defeat Yashuu Kuze, the Head of the Kuze Family, down in the same place where Amane had been impaled._

_And **Luna **had been impaled, for that matter._

_He shivered a little after seeing the (moderately-big-sized) pool of blood from her foot still on the ground through the corner of his eye as they went throught the huge double-doors._

_Kei let Luna lean on him after stumbling due to the miasma AND being underground, and Naruto's temple throbbed. "That's sorta MY job." _

_"Naruto, just walk and be thankful you can do so without needing assistance," She snapped._

_He felt a tiny twinge of regret and slight sympathy; he knew how much she hated feeling weak, and that was the main emotion this Manor of Sl- Manor of GAY- had made her feel. _

_That and guilt, something else she hated. _

_And sorrow. Another thing she hated._

_And who knows what else. She probably felt rage too, no matter how many times she insisted she wasn't angry. Naruto knew he sounded like he was beating a dead horse, but seriously, who could POSSIBLY get over something like that?_

_So what if she trusted him? Though it was nice to know (and unfortunately, the way she said it fueled his perverted imagination WAY too well), still...He trusted lots of people, but Naruto would still get pissed if they had been the ones who killed HIS father._

"_...Naruto?" Kei said uncertainly. Luna was looking really impatient, and Kei looked anxious. "...Shall we proceed THROUGH the doors?"_

_Naruto realized he was blocking the way and just standing there like an idiot, and with a nervous laugh, he went through, the blinding white light not even really fazing him anymore._

"_Sure."_

* * *

**_"No one will survive...No one."_**

_**"**__**SHUT UP! Don't be listening to those dead people, Loon. You either, Ky. We can do this, we're gonna DO THIS!"** Naruto shouted immediately after Reika._

_They heard a little offended noise from somewhere far off, and they could only assume it was the Tattooed Priestess._

_Luna looked at Naruto, who was smirking proudly at being able to piss Reika off and get away with it. "I guess she was upset you disrupted her 'screen time'."_

"_That's only referring to shows or movies, Loon," He replied, trying not to laugh as she turned all flustered like she usually did when she got some random expression wrong and he caught her._

_She sniffed importantly. "Yes, well. Now there is another use for it."_

_Meanwhile, Kei was staring at a small-to-medium-sized stone thing a good few yards away. It looked like something a Stonehenge caretaker would live in if trying to blend in with his surroundings; lumpy and made of stone._

"_Not that Stonehenge HAS a caretaker. That I know of. Hmmm...I'll have to Google that," Luna murmured to herself thoughtfully._

_Naruto sweatdropped. "...What the hell're you talking about?" Luna's head shot up in his direction. "Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just Stonehenge."_

"_Oh, okay," He replied as if he knew exactly what she was talking about. Which they all know he didn't._

_Kei looked to Luna to make sure she was ready before leading the way to the Chamber of Thorns, as it was formally called._

_The closer they got, the worse the miasma got, and the worse they all felt. Soon, they were in front of the doors._

_Kei gripped his stakes tighter. He looked to Naruto, who handed him his stakes slowly, still looking at the Chamber as if in a trance._

_Luna's whole body was shaking under the weight of the spiritual pressure. "...So many...There must be a lot of people who died in there..."_

"_There are. It's never been confirmed how many times they had performed the Rite of Tattoos, but at least a hundred Tattoo Priestesses have been used," Kei explained._

_Naruto shook his head. "Did college teach you that?"_

"_Why yes, yes it did."_

"_It's settled. I'm never going to college. Sorry, Luna." She glanced at him in slight surprise, not used to him saying her full name in a CALM voice._

_It was rather unsettling. Naruto was awfully pale, as well. She inched closer to him as Kei gripped the stakes and opened the doors. With a glance at each other, the two teens hesitantly followed._

_

* * *

_

_Luna couldn't help but reflexively search for Naruto's body once they got in there. It was just so dark, and the air was so heavy, almost crushing her._

_She felt weak again. She finally found his arm and let her hand move up to his shoulder, gripping it._

"_I'm right here."_

"_I know that, genius. Did you think I was trying to grab Reika?" She couldn't help but be a smartass, she wasn't used to people sounding so reassuring. When you're an Agent, "reassuring", "gentle", and/or "sympathetic" are never in your common vocabulary._

"_The air...I feel so...heavy..." Kei said from a little ways ahead of them as they strained to focus in the heavy darkness._

_When Luna's eyes finally did as she wanted, she wished they hadn't. The hand on Naruto's shoulder shot down to his hand, squeezing it tightly out of reflex. _

_She suspected he was just as uneasy, because he didn't complain. He didn't comment at all._

"_What's...going on here?" Kei wondered, before gasping after finally noticing what Luna and Naruto had already seen._

_Girls. Lots and lots of half-naked dead Priestesses, impaled all over the Chamber's walls and floor. In fact, they almost covered the floor and walls entirely._

_Naruto tried to get her to move forward. Luna shook her head as quickly as her neck would allow, squeezing the life out of his hand. _

"_No. No. I can't. I won't. What if I step on them? Look at them all. The air, it's too heavy. I'll fall. I'll fall, and one of them will grab me, and I won't be able to breathe, and I'll die on the stone floor surrounded by impaled dead girls. I can't go. I can't, I can't, please! Don't make me!" She said in quick, frantic bursts._

_She felt an arm around her shoulders. "Alright, alright, calm down! We can just wait here, it's alright," He said quickly as she continued to freak out._

_Luna suddenly gasped, eyes going wide. "...What?" She pointed a shaky finger straight ahead, and Naruto turned his gaze from her face to see Reika standing amongst all the other lifeless Priestesses._

_She didn't have that usual blue energy around her, she simply had the tattoo and no shirt. She was actually quite pretty despite the Tattoo._

_...When not trying to kill them._

"_**You've finally come,"** She hissed at Kei._

_

* * *

_

_Naruto gulped, and Luna was practically hyperventilating beside him._

_He'd never seen her this freaked out before. It was more than a little scary to see her all worked up, especially with that Tattoo throbbing and slithering along her skin._

_When they looked again, Reika was gone. There was a glowing lantern beside her body, though. To their amazement, Kei moved toward it._

"_KY, NO!" Naruto shouted. "WAIT!"_

"_Impale her with the Stake of Tattoos..."_

"_KEI, STOP!"_

"_Naruto, Luna, this MUST be done. The Rite of Commandment must be conducted. This nightmare must end!" He insisted, continuing to inch forward and dodge dead bodies without giving them a second glance._

_Luna was pretty much sobbing at this point, which freaked him out even more. It wasn't even sobbing, so much as her fear put into noises other than screaming._

"_Sleeping undisturbed for eternity..."_

"_Okay, that's epic and all Ky, but PLEASE don't be a dumbass!"_

"_NARUTO, please, this MUST be...What the **hell**?" Kei said suddenly. "..WHAT'S WRONG?" Naruto shouted over Luna's frenzied monologuing._

_Something about "dying before I ever eat Flavor-Blasted Goldfish again," among other things. "The...She's already...The stakes are already impaling her to the ground!" Kei exclaimed._

_Naruto scratched his head. "But if she were already impaled, how could she have been standing in that same spot, looking right at us, right before that lantern started glowing?"_

_Kei turned dangerously pale in the glow of that blue lantern. "Naruto...WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT BEFORE?"_

"_I TRIED, YOU WEREN'T LISTENING TO ME!"_

_Suddenly, everyone grew dead quiet as they heard what was, to Naruto, a sound he'd never forgotten since the first time he'd heard it._

_The sound of a stake sliding out of someone, out of skin and bone. Luna's monologue turned into deep breaths and muttering "This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this is NOT happening...!"._

_Naruto instinctively inched closer to her, putting her behind him. Kei backed up as well, but probably for different reasons._

_The stakes jerked upwards and out of Reika, inch by inch. They fell in pairs of two, clattering to the floor and making everyone jump with each **CLATTER**. "Naruto, what's going on?" Luna whimpered._

_Her sanity was officially gone for the moment. Suddenly, the doors slammed shut behind her, and Luna's scream was still ringing in his ears when they all woke up._

* * *

"KYYYY!" Naruto shouted when he woke up, panting with a cold sweat. Luna also awoke with a scream, lurching into a sitting position and touching random parts of herself, her chest and stomach heaving as she gulped in air and tried to get her heart rate back down.

She looked at Naruto uncertainly. "If _you're _back...And _I _am back...Does that mean she went after..."

"KEI!" Rei shouted suddenly from upstairs, making them both jump up. Luna staggered through the first five or six steps, but quickly recovered as she breathed a little more.

They went up to Yuu's room. The door was wide open, and Rei was standing over the bed, staring at Kei in disbelief.

He was laying there in the same comatose-like state as Miku, a Tattoo slithering against his skin before fading away a few moments later.

It was dead quiet for a few minutes, and Naruto glanced worriedly at Luna, expecting some kind of mental and nervous breakdown like the one she had started to have back in the Chamber of Thorns.

But her face was totally relaxed. Not exactly expressionless, just unreadable. Naruto preferred a breakdown, to be honest. Luna walked out of the room, muttering "I'll go check on Miku..."

Less than thirty seconds later, they heard "GAH! HOLY _SHIT_!". Naruto and Rei ran in to see Luna standing on Miku's desk, pointing a shaky finger at a ball on the floor.

"I-It rolled off the dresser...Like something out of The Shining or something," She said in disbelief while climbing off. Rei had a notebook in her hand, and the other two peered at it closely.

"What's that?"

She opened it carefully. "...It's Kei's." She cleared her throat and began reading from the last few pages.

"**I examined the lyrics of the third verse of 'The Sleeping Priestess'. It may **

**be some kind of clue. Below are the possible meanings besides 'impaling **

**the tattoo stake':**

**Maybe the lyrics in the third verse don't mean 'to make sleep' but rather **

**'to send off" the Priestess. These lyrics certainly fit with the 'Funeral Song' **

**Yuu was talking about.**

**They practice an ancient spirit world religion over there. At the Kuze Family **

**mountain, it's said there is a sacred area called the Sea of Endless Night.**

**On a certain map is drawn a huge, sea-like area behind the Manor. Maybe**

** it represents the other world.**

**Could that be where the Priestess is relinquished?" **

Rei closed it, and Naruto shook his head. "I dunno, Ky, but you and your college education have been spot-on so far..."

"Send off...the Priestess...but how?"

Rei turned a cassette tape over in her hand. "I also found this. Should we...?"

_**

* * *

**_

_**HOURS ****LATER...**_

"It's labeled Ototsuki," Rei explained before putting it in the cassette player. She spoke quietly, like everyone else had been doing the whole day (Naruto included, which just BLEW Luna's mind).

"_**Yes, my...name is Kaname. Kaname Ototsuki. **__**Snow was falling, there was a big manor, and inside it there was an old shrine... I could hear singing... She's in there... Reika is in there. No, further in. It was much deeper... darker... like somewhere under water.**_

_**N-No. I'm talking about my dream. But it was a very vivid dream. It was lifelike! I've heard that there was a place like this in the village where I was found. A place... where you can meet the dead. Like a rift... to the other side.. There... is a shrine there. Where you can offer up your pain...**_

_**Huh? Yes. Tha-That's right, Kuze! The Kuze Shrine! There Reika... accepted... the tattoos. The pain... and in the end... I must go back... to the Manor, I've got to see Reika. If I see her, I don't know what I'll do. But if I don't go, she'll-"**_

It cut off abruptly, and the three of them looked at each other. "Kaname...BRITNEY'S KID?" Naruto asked no one in particular.

Luna sweatdropped. "...Most likely...Since that seems to be the only 'Kaname' that's extremely relevant to the Manor of Sleep."

Suddenly, the Spirit Radio (the one from the attic) started going off, making everyone jump. Rei walked over to it. "It sounds like a woman...a woman's voice...It must be receiving from somewhere in the house..."

Naruto groaned. "Awww, GREAT, Grudge Girl's early Christmas present HATES US!" Luna sighed and shook her head, following Rei as they tried to find out where it was coming from, only to end up in front of Miku's door.

"Do we dare?"

"We do."

And with that, they opened Miku's door. They walked in and saw nothing out of the ordinary, and Naruto crept in all ninja-like after them.

Luna rolled her eyes at his failed stealthiness, but they both turned deathly white as Rei pulled down another ladder to another part of her attic.

"This part of the attic hasn't been opened since Yuu put some extra stuff up here when he moved out of his parents' house. ...Any volunteers?" Rei asked with nervous laughter.

"No. No. NO WAY, NO WAY IN HEAVEN NOR HELL!" Naruto declared.

Luna glanced at him. "Fine." She went up the ladder, and heard extremely familiar stomping mere seconds after. "FINE!"

* * *

They were greeted by louder noise, and Naruto looked around frantically. "What the hell, where's it coming from?"

Luna rolled her eyes and pulled out her Camera Obscura, taking somehow-graceful sliding steps towards the radio, which was sitting on a trunk on the other side of the room.

As she expected, a woman popped up that looked suspiciously like Reika without Tattoos. After she took a picture with her camera, the woman was gone.

That didn't keep Naruto from screaming. "UGGGHH, UGGGHH, I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN! I...fricking...KNEW that was gonnna happen!"

"As did I, and do you see _me _panicking like a moron? NO," Luna replied as she looked in the direction the woman had been looking.

Inside the drawer was an old book and something wrapped in cloth. Inside the bundle of cloth was... "An Echo Stone Earring?"

Naruto snapped his fingers triumphantly. "AH! Kaname was supposed to have gotten one of those from Britney! And Kei grabbed that one earring from that other room, the earring that Britney had!"

"...Yeah."

"Yeah? That's all you have to SAY to that, YEAH?"

"...Yeah."

He groaned impatiently, taking the earring away from her. "You're so frustrating!" "Yeah." "Shut up!"

Luna suddenly seemed to have a thought. "Hey, wait...If this is Reika's earring...Then it just might convey to us her voice and emotions."

Naruto looked at the earring, then her. "YOU do it."

* * *

"WHY ME?"

"One, you're an, uhhh...Spirit Conductor! Yeah, that's it. Remember? And two, you're a girl, so it'd be just plain weird for ME to read it instead of a perfectly-capable GIRL standing right in front of me, right?"

Luna's temple throbbed. "Just gimme the earring, and don't tryi to explain yourself. It just makes you look like an idiot."

He glared at her while handing her the earring, and plopped it into her hand with more force than necessary.

"OW, YOU STABBED ME!"

"GAH! SORRY!"

"SHUT UP, I'M TRYING TO HEAR!" Luna demanded as she put the earring in her ear, handing him the earring from her second piercing that had previously been in there.

"I didn't know you had two holes in each ear!"

She sweatdropped. "Of all the things you notice about me, you neglect to notice THAT?" He shrugged, and she just shook her head before squinting, focusing on the faint thoughts she was hearing.

Suddenly, one stood out so crystal clear it made her jump. _**"I want...to...I want to be with him again!"**_

Then it was silent. Luna shook her head stiffly again before taking out the earring, and Naruto stared at her. "Whoaa...That was so creepy...Your voice and Reika's were talking at the same time! LOON, THAT'S AWESOME! You sounded just as emotional and all as she did! EPIC."

She just sighed and put HER earring back in her ear. "Of course it is, to _you_." _To me, she's just another ghost. A voice of the past. ...Oh, jeez, I sound like an old woman..._

_**

* * *

**_

_**A ****FEW HOURS LATER...**_

Luna waited until everyone was asleep. Until Rei's and Naruto's snoring was the only sound in the house, and even _Yoshi _was off sleeping while cuddled against Ruri in some random place.

And then she let herself freak out. She cried out her frustrations, her pain with the Tattoo (which had been constantly spreading, and was now creeping up her neck, dangerously close to her jaw line), her despair over Miku and Kei, her fear of the Chamber of Thorns.

She had never liked the dark. Not for as long as she could remember. Was it odd to love the night, but fear the dark with all your heart?

Luna knew she had a lot of fears, especially for an Agent. But everyone has fears. As Tara liked to put it, "Agents are anything but fearless. We all have fears, rational and irrational. Some have many, others have few. Agents are no exception. They are simply the best at hiding them until the time is right."

She had mastered that skill such a long time ago. But this Manor of Sleep...Manor of GAY...was making her nearly forget almost every psychological tactic she had learned over the years.

When it comes to her fears, anyway. Her neck still hurt, and the Tattoo's pain on top of the pain of being strangled were not exactly pleasant when combined.

She could've sworn she saw Past-Self and a Needle Woman flash across her line of vision, right in front of her, but she dismissed it.

It must have been her mind. She knew this would come; the part where dream and reality start to coexist.

She didn't expect it to be so scary. She thought she could take it. Right as she jumped from Naruto's extra-loud snore, a dark hand (pitch black, to be exact) waved right in front of her face, as if snapping her out of a trance.

Luna jumped up with a yelp and looked around, but didn't see anything. Not a thing. She squeezed her eyes shut for a few moments, willing it all to go away, not liking that knotting in her stomach seeing ghosts up close and personal like that always seemed to give her.

She wanted to call Will, and make him come over here and beat up all the ghosts, but she knew that was impossible.

But there _was _one thing she used to do. Whenever she was especially freaked out, plagued by nightmares that she didn't understand at the time (which she now knew had been flashbacks of the Sasakis' murders), she would wait until everything was still.

She'd wait until the patrolling Agents in the halls were gone (she had memorized the frequency of which they passed her door), and she'd run like hell towards Will's room.

Thought Luna hated to admit she was that needy, she'd nudge him, he'd roll over, and he'd let her sleep with him for the night.

Hey, when all you've got is your brother, sometimes you just need to sleep in the same bed so you know he's still there.

If Tara knew, she never let on, and they always got away with it. Still standing like an idiot, Luna sighed heavily, her judgement and sanity worn thin at this point. She was tired of being the brave one, she was tired of keeping sane when all she wanted was to be held, and she was all-around tired in general.

She knew one person who could fix all those things.

"I must be DESPERATE," She muttered to herself as she crept over to Naruto's side and tapped his shoulder.

* * *

"Naruto. Naaarutooo? NARUTO," She hissed. Finally, Luna sighed and pinched his nose shut and covered his mouth.

He woke up in about six seconds flat, coughing. "What, what, what?" He asked groggily, looking around.

He finally noticed her feet, and let his eyes roam up to her face lazily. Luna gulped, turning red at what she was going to do and almost losing her nerve.

"...What?" He repeated, eyeing her suspiciously. "Naruto?" He sweatdropped. "...WHAT? C'mon, Loon, it's the middle of the night, SPIT IT OUT."

Worry flashed across his face when she didn't glare at him and looked at the ground instead, swallowing hard nervously.

"Uhhh...Can I, uh...Well, um, can I...?"

What with her stammerin and her body language, he could practically see her holding a teddy bear and sucking her thumb.

"MayIsleepwithyou?" She asked quickly. Naruto stared at her blankly for a long time, trying to decipher what she said.

"Um...What?" He asked tiredly. Luna sighed impatiently. "May. I. Sleep? ...With you?" Naruto blinked at her and rubbed his eyes as if not believing what he was seeing before nodding slowly. "Uhhh...sure...?"

He scooted over, and she crawled right in under his blanket without a moment's hesitation. Luna squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her arms. _Perhaps now the ghosts will leave me alone...Too bad it wasn't Yoshi. This would've been what she was trying to make me do all along._

After a few moments, Naruto's hand closed around the crook of her nearest elbow, tugging at it gently.

She lowered her arms, tucking one of them under her head and shifting accordingly, causing one of his hands to inadvertently run along her hip.

She shivered slightly but didn't protest as that same hand ran across her stomach, his arm wrapping around her waist.

"Loon?"

"Yes?"

"Why're you over here, on MY couch, out of common curiosity?"

"Is this not what lovers do?" She asked innocently. He was quiet, and she grinned smugly, thinking that had made him just drop it for the time being.

"Nice try," He murmured suddenly, right against the top of her head. She jumped despite herself and turned a little red. "I, uh...I got scared. I was...seeing things...that were not there."

His grip around her waist tightened, and somehow his fingers on his other hand had found her neck and were tracing the mark, which was darker and wider than before. Her eyes automatically fluttered shut, it felt so good.

"Oh. Well then, close your eyes and you won't see it anymore."

And she didn't.


	44. I Hate You, My Friend: Oh The Irony!

****

Looong chapp, guys! After this, there's gonna be about one REAL chapp, and then the Q & A Session.

**Then it's back to "I Hate You, My Friend"!**

**So be sure to read, review, ask, and ENJOY!**

**

* * *

**

**"**_**If I see Yuu...I...I don't know...am I...supposed to be alive?"**_

**"**_**I'm so...tired...I don't know if I can take any more. Kei, Miku, they're already succumbing to the Tattoo Curse. I won't be much longer. ...Will someone...have to save me, too? Again?"**_

**"**_**Miku's in a coma, Kei LOOKS like he's in one but he's probably trapped in the Chamber of Thorns...Rei and Luna look about ready to give up...What am I gonna do? I may be an epic ninja, but I can't fight against ghosts when no one else believes we'll make it out alive!"**_

* * *

_They awoke in the same place that Luna's very first dream had occurred in. Only this time, she had a Camera Obscura in her hand and she wasn't alone._

_Yuu appeared, walking through the double-doors that seemed to be so EFFING COMMON in this place._

_Rei immediately ran after him. Due to the miasma, it took her a minute, but Luna caught up with them._

_The Tattoo had grown while she was asleep, before she entered the Manor. It was now curling up to the sides of her face, teasing along her jaw in tendrils and billows without completely crossing onto her face._

_If it weren't so painful, she would've thought it looked kind of cool. But she knew if it got in her eyes, she would end up like Reika, and the other ghosts, and even Yoshino- the version of her that had been left in the Manor._

_Aimlessly attacking those new to the Manor's Curse. Mindless. Like a zombie, but with a pretty tattoo._

_Luna shook her head at her thoughts to realize Rei and Naruto had already gone inside, __and hastily followed them in._

_"I have to see him...I have to find him, to be sure...! Yuu...I..." Rei was saying. Naruto was waiting for Luna by the door, and nodded towards Rei._

_"She's getting worse."_

_"So I hear."_

_"You don't think she'll do anything stupid, do you?" Luna was about to answer when they __heard a __**THUNK**__ caused by Rei accidentally running into a wall._

_"Owww," She muttered before realizing they were far behind. She waited for them patiently while rubbing her forehead tenderly._

_Naruto and Luna sweatdropped. "Too late, Naruto...Too late." "Indeed."_

* * *

_Suddenly, they heard a voice that didn't belong to Rei. But the words could apply to not just Rei, but all of them, in one way or another._

_**"In my dreams...for so long...over...and over...But...I don't WANT this dream anymore..." **_

_The other two looked at Luna, who blinked at them. "What, is there something on my face?"_

_"You were talking along with Reika," Rei said slowly. Luna gave them a puzzled look. "I was...?" Naruto seemed to have an idea, and brushed her hair back from her ears. _

_He touched her left ear, the second piercing to be exact, and Luna mentally kicked herself as she glowed for a split second. "You're wearing the Echo Stone Earring," Naruto informed her._

_He must not have seen the glow. Good. _

_Luna bit her lip thoughtfully, and her eyebrows shot up as Naruto turned away quickly and let go of her abruptly. __**Jeez, was it something I did?**_

_"That's odd. I don't remember putting it back in after taking it out last night..."_

_Rei shook her head. "This Manor manages to do all kinds of things, both while we're asleep AND while we're awake."_

_"True," They agreed before following Rei as she walked briskly towards the talking. _

_They went into the four-hallways hallway with the lanterns and candles, and another thought flashed across Luna's mind._

_**"I can feel...so many people...etched into me. So many voices...pain. Please don't forget me..."**_

_"Like anyone could forget YOU," Naruto replied with a scoff, making Luna and Rei sweatdrop. _

_"Naruto, she was speaking with Reika again."_

_He flushed. "...Oh."_

_Luna sighed and shook her head. "Idiot. Just keep walking." _

_"FINE!" "Fine." "Fine." "Fine." "FINE." "Fine!" "FINE!" "FINE FINE FINE FINE FINE!" _

_"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Rei shouted, and the two snickered. "De ja vu, anyone?" _

_Rei's temple throbbed. "The beatdown I give you two will be ENTIRELY new, I promise."_

_They gulped and shut up, except for Luna, who had no choice but to keep repeating whatever Reika's thoughts wanted her to say._

* * *

_They went to the hallway on their left, leading them to the projection room. _

_In front of the projection screen appeared Reika, appearing as she had before she got the Pain of the Holly Tattoo etched into her._

_She wore a kimono that was composed of a white shirt, dark royal blue skirt and matching dark sash. _

_She was kind of faint, but she was there all the same._

_The projector itself whirred to life, and behind her the screen showed paper lanterns floating in water._

_**"I can feel the thoughts of so many people being etched into me..."**__ This time, Luna wasn't forced to repeat it, and she simply gaped like the others._

_As she spoke those words, the projection showed some kind of mist, and among the mist were dark sillhouttes of people standing in a horizontal line in the distance. _

_**"So many voices, so much pain. Please don't forget me...!" **_

_It showed the paper lanterms, and people walking in front of them, behind them, in the water._

_It showed a sort of cave, and in the opening was a lot of mist. __**"This is my voice. My memory...my pain!"**_

_With that, she faded away, and left something shiny on the ground in her wake. On the projector was a rather creepy close-up of the people, still appearing as eery sillhouttes._

_Rei snapped a picture slowly, still kind of dazed, while Luna picked up the shiny. _

_It must've been the earring's doing, because she somehow felt...more...__**connected**__ to Reika now._

_Almost like she understood her pain. _

_It was a mirror fragment, and simply touching it sent a thought into her brain that was so strong she had to say it out loud._

_**"All my pain...my longing..." **_

_"What?" _

_She waved Rei off. "Sorry, that was from the mirror. Something tells me we need to look for the rest of these shards. Luckily, they're probably in big chunks like these, so we probably only need aboooouuutt...five? Six at the most."_

_Naruto shook his head. "You and your Spy-Skills, I just wish I had 'em sometimes." _

_Luna waved him off again, flustered. "I-I am simply guesstimating, really."_

_Rei nodded slowly. "So...Five or six...I'm guessing Reika's thoughts and voice leads us to them."_

_They nodded in agreement before following Naruto out the door through which they had come. _

_"Sooo...Where could another one be?" Rei asked. Luna bit her lip in thought again. "Well, we COULD try heading for that cage in which we found her diary AND the mirror, before she so rudely broke it. Back when we were with Miku."_

_Naruto nodded. "Let's cut through that Spirit Tree Garden Thingie!" _

_They had gone through the door leading to the place with all the dressers and were going through the little mini-hallway in THERE that lead to the Garden when the thoughts went in her mind again and begged to be spoken._

* * *

_**"Again...Know I'm not supposed to see you...But...still...If I could just...I never wanted to leave you...I wanted to be with you...I'm here. I'll...I'll always be here."**_

_Naruto sighed. "I'm startin' to feel really sorry for Reika, and I'm REALLY not liking it." Luna nodded while unwillingly repeating the phrase some more._

_Reika suddenly appeared in front of the Spirit Tree, amongst the many red dolls on pikes. _

_They ran down the short stairs to get to the tree, and there her voice started up again, giving Luna a break._

___**"I never wanted to leave you...Never! I wanted to **____**be**____** with you...! I'm here, I'll ALWAYS be here!"**_

_Rei picked up the mirror shard, and handed it to Luna. Another thought barged into her brain. __**"I want us to be together again..."**_

_She shook herself quickly. "Uh...How about we try that door by the first Shrine Altar we ever went in? It's right over there, and I'm pretty sure it leads us to SOMEWHERE..." _

_She strained to think back on which hallway lead to the shrine, there were two. Her memory was fading._

_Her short-term memory was getting dimmer, slowly being replaced by her past mistakes, her past kills, her past life._

_**"I will shatter my memories. These shards, these...pieces of me..."**_

_Naruto and Rei glanced at Luna as they got nearer to the door she had mentioned, making her tone get more and more like Reika's emotional one. "Well OBVIOUSLY we're on the right track..." Naruto commented to no one in particular._

_They opened the door to reveal Reika standing amid the giant white tent, above the lump that looked like a body under that cover on the floor._

_**"I will shatter my memories. These shards, these pieces of me..."**_

_Luna sighed as she went to pick up the shard. "That sounds nice right about now. __**My longing...my memory**__," She added, Reika's emotions slipping into her once again._

_She wanted to rip the Echo Stone right out of her ear, not caring if she tore her lobe in the process or not._

_Just to get Reika out of her head. Luna's own pain was enough without adding on the pain of someone so...**tormented**._

_"Alright...two more to go..I think," Naruto informed them. "We can do this!" _

_As if on cue, their candle (which none of them remembered collecting, much less that there had been miasma in the beginning and there wasn't any now) suddenly burnt down about one-third of the way._

_"Oh no. OH NOOOO! WE GOTTA STEP UP OUR GAME! C'MON, LOON, YOU'RE TOO SLOW!"_

_"ME?"_

_"Yes, you. C'mon, hop on."_

_"NO."_

_Naruto sighed. "Fine, but if some random ghost comes and attacks you or gropes you or SOMETHING because the purifying light goes out before we find another one, because YOU went TOO SLOW, I'm just gonna laugh at you and go-"_

_Luna growled and ran to catch up with him before hopping onto his back, smirking triumphantly after he had a mini-spazz-attack._

_Rei watched in amusement as he spun around in circles yelling "What the HELL? GAH! BRITNEYYY GOT ME, BRITTNEEYYY GOOT MEEE!" before he finally realized it wasn't a ghost and calmed down._

_Luna made a clicking noise with her tongue. "...You asked for it."_

* * *

_**FIFTEEN MINUTES **__**LATER**__**...**_

_They cut through Britney's room (which THANKFULLY wasn't occupied by her for the time being) and approached the door by which Needle Woman had decided to give herself some "screen time" in the mirror last night._

_It triggered more thoughts. **"In my dreams...for so long...over and over...But...don't want this dream anymore..."** Luna whispered along with Reika, right by Naruto's ear._

_Not purposely, but simply because that's where her head was; right near his ear. He shivered despite himself, but she didn't comment. _

_Even though she totally should have._

_"Isn't that the very first thought we heard?" Rei asked no one in particular. Naruto nodded. _

_"Yeah, it is. But then it was replaced by that OTHER thought, so we must be close to this mirror shard again."_

_"Ohhh, that makes sense, okay."_

_Naruto opened the door, briefly letting go of the backs of Luna's knees. This wasn't much of a problem for her- she had exceptional lower body-strength, after all- but she almost instantly felt exponentially colder once his touch was gone._

_Stupid Manor, always so fricking cold and making her all dependent like that. _

_When they got inside, the people-shaped sacks that had been hanging from the ceiling were all collapsed on the ground._

_On the far end of the room, behind the mini-altar set up, stood Reika. As they got closer, she spoke. _

_**"I feel like you've been in my dreams for so long. Over and over...But...I don't want this dream anymore..."**_

_Naruto handed Luna the mirror fragment. __**"This whole time...I've been dreaming..." **__Luna said absently after coming in contact with it._

_He cheered as he picked up the candle. "Well, BADASS! We're NEVER this lucky! AND we know where the last one is! It's in the cage!"_

_Everyone beamed, but then Naruto's face fell. "Sooo...Does anyone remember how to get there?"_

_"...DAMMIT!"_

* * *

_**THREE HOURS **__**LATER**__**...**_

_After getting to the room with the flickering lights, KNOWING that white grate was the way in, and NOT BEING LET IN FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, Naruto and Rei Mega-Bitch-Fitted their way towards Britney's room._

_Where, according to the map Kei had drawn (and Rei had stolen), there was another way into the room with the cage._

_"Okay...Okay...this looks like the right way...this looks right!" Rei said excitedly as they went towards the double-doors located further down the hall to the right of Britney's room, near the tiny door that led to the beams where Luna and Naruto had fought a Creepy Shrine Maiden._

_Naruto smirked. "And you call ME immature." He nudged Luna's head with his own (for lack of hands), trying to wake her up._

_"Hey, Loon, we found it. Loon. LUNA. LUUUU-NAAA-AAAA!"_

_"Huh, what? I'M AWAKE, I WAS MERELY RESTING MY EYES!" Naruto and Rei sweatdropped. "...Uh-huh."_

_Luna scowled at him before trying to slide off, and he reluctantly let go of her legs as she started speaking along with Reika, AGAIN._

_**"Again...Know I'm not supposed to see you...But...still...If I could just..."**_

_"Reika's very repetitive, isn't she?" Naruto grumbled, making the others sweatdrop. Of course, Luna couldn't say anything because she was busy having to constantly repeat Reika's thoughts._

_So of course Naruto took this opportunity to screw with her. _

* * *

_He didn't open the door, but instead turned around to look at her and Rei. "Heey, Rei-Rei, didya hear the news?"_

_Rei tilted her head with curiosity while Luna's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What news?" Rei asked._

_"Ohhhh, you know...We're LOOOOVERRRS now." Luna's reciting became stronger, as if pouring all her mortification into the words she was being forced to say._

_Rei's eyebrows shot up. "Oh REALLY?"_

_"Yep. That's what **Luna **said."_

_She looked at Luna in amusement, who was turning redder and redder. "Oh. Oh REALLY now?"_

_"Yeeep!"_

_"I saw THAT one coming from a mile away," Past-Self and Rei said in unison, making everyone jump at the former's sudden appearance. _

_Luna just huffed and shoved past Naruto to open the double-doors, making him crack up._

_That laughter soon turned into cheering as he saw Reika standing in her cage. "YUUUSS! DEMONIC!" _

_Luna sweatdropped, now able to talk freely. "What the hell does that even MEAN?"_

* * *

_**"I want to see you again. I know I **__**can't**__** see you again, but, ...still...If I could just see you once more...once more...Just ONE more time..."**_

_"I wonder who she's talking about..." Naruto wondered. Rei and Luna exchanged a sweatdrop and eye-roll._

_"Naruto, you know nothing about women. I don't believe in love, and even I know who she's talking about!" Luna commented._

_"Well then who the hell is it?" He said impatiently._

_Luna simply bent over to pick up the mirror shard, the final one. "You'll just have to suffer through it until you figure it out."_

_He sighed heavily. "Damn. Well, at least I've got that lovely view to keep me happy." Luna at first didn't understand, but then she realized he was getting the perfect view of her ass due to the direction in which she was bending._

_Luna straightened almost immediately and smacked him upside the head before giving in to the pressure the thought had been causing in her head._

_**"I want to see you again..."**_

_"I'm right here, look all you want," Naruto replied with a grin. She stomped on his foot and marched off. "Not YOU. I could go my whole life without seeing YOUR face again."_

_Rei smiled and shook her head, putting the mirror shards all together before looking into the mirror wistfully. "...The fragments of the mirror, all together. This is...her longing...Yuu...I'm..."_

_Luna and Naruto stopped their bickering to look at her, and Luna gingerly put a hand on her shoulder while reaching for a lump underneath the cloth the mirror shard had been wrapped in._

_"It looks like another of her diaries..." Luna cleared her throat and read, Reika's emotions coloring her words and making her feel them more intensely with every word she read._

* * *

_**"I endure the Piercing of the Soul so people can wash away their feelings. **_

_**The pain of the holly engraved on me**_

_**shows me many dreams.**_

_**Many kinds of pain, and love.**_

_**I take on the pain of**_

_**being left alone, the pain of living.**_

_**But these pains, these pains I bear,**_

_**they do not fade, but are engraved**_

_**somewhere hidden, and remain.**_

_**Of the various pains, the more **_

_**vivid ones ache most intensely.**_

_**Nobody will take my Holly.**_

_**It is mine alone.**_

_**I engrave my feelings, my Holly, in**_

_**these mirrors and break them here.**_

_**Because they are my feelings alone.**_

_**But if it were in my power,**_

_**I would see him one more time."**_

* * *

_By the end of the entry, Luna's voice was shaking with the same longing, regret, and sorrow as Reika's. She was almost crying. _

_She shut the journal slowly, laying it down on Reika's dresser respectfully._

_Suddenly, they were engulfed in white light. _

_"Yuu...I want to see you...!"_

_"Rei, I hope you get outta this whole- Holy SHITCAKE, LOON, WE TELEPORTED!" Naruto exclaimed._

_

* * *

_

_They were now in front of the double-doors that led to the place that released the miasma in the first place._

_Luckily, they still had plenty wax left on their Purifying Light, or else Luna didn't know how much more she could handle._

_As they got closer to the double-doors on the other end, Reika in her Tattooed half-naked __glory stood before the doors._

_She turned to the side, towards the door. __**"It's my fault...It's all my fault!" **__She and Luna sobbed._

_Luna felt Reika's pain, and felt her own mixed into the emotion in her voice. It WAS all her fault. It was all her fault Will was orphaned, his parents killed by his own adopted sister._

_It was all her fault that Mr. and Mrs. Sasaki would never be able to see their son grow up, go to college, get married, have children._

_As an Agent, you were deprived of those things from the day they set their sights on you and let you in on their world. The Agency WAS your life. And for that...Luna wasn't sure anymore if she should be alive._

_Why should she live after depriving so many people- not just Will and his parents, but her past targets- of their lives...Why should she keep hers?_

_She glanced at Naruto as they followed Rei, who was following Reika. Why did he trust HER? He kept wondering why she trusted him, but...the real question...why would ANYONE...she didn't deserve to be treated so nicely by these people._

_Not just Naruto, but Rei, or Kei, Miku, Will, Becs, Ichigo, Renji, Tara, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato, Sai, Sasuke, Rukia...none of them. Why? Why her? _

_Rei was opening the doors when Naruto suddenly whipped his head to look to his left. He heard something they couldn't._

_"...Naruto, are you-"_

_"Loon, get back here! Where the hell're you going?" He shouted to someone they couldn't see, running towards the partially-collapsed building to their left._

_Rei and Luna exchanged a look, and Luna looked at the double-doors. "...Rei...This is where we split for the time being. Go after Reika, and impale her ass. ...And save Kei, maybe he could teach Naruto some of his college ways."_

_Rei smiled and nodded, but her smile faded as Naruto continued to call after some other Luna. "...Be careful. This reeks of Ghost Prank."_

_She nodded as well before running after her idiot of a partner._

* * *

_Naruto muttered a steady string of curses as he crawled after his DUMBASS partner between fallen beams and such in the dim lighting of the half-collapsed building._

_What the hell had gotten into damn Luna? One minute she was standing to the left of him, talking in sync with damn Reika, and the next she runs off like a moron? In a place like this? BY HERSELF? _

_He could still see her hair in the dark, lit by the glow of her necklace. Which was good, since he wanted to strangle her right now. "...Bad choice of words," He muttered to himself._

_"Where the hell're you going?" He asked again._

_She didn't answer, just ran faster. "LUNA, WAIT UP!" He was too busy chasing after her to notice the scenery changing._

_It was changing from a cold abandoned Manor into a dense forest. One that, if he had looked, would remind him of Konoha._

_He heard Luna calling his name, both from in front of him and behind him, and he stopped abruptly, beyond confused._

_Something tugged on his collar, and he whirled around with bewilderment._

* * *

_Luna finally caught up with him, breathing heavy. Leave it to Naruto to make an Agent more in shape than a cross-country runner lose her breath._

_"N...Naruto, WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?" She screeched, tugging him back by his collar. He whirled around with a bewildered look on his face, searching the darkness._

_He was looking right at her at one point, right in her eyes, and she saw goosebumps immediately pop up onto his skin._

_"Don't just GAWK at me, let's go catch up with Rei! She needs us!" She scolded. He continued looking around._

_"...Loon? Crap, I've lost her..." Luna staggered back in disbelief as he continued looking around. What the hell was this? He couldn't... "Naruto, I'm right here. Why can't you..."_

_"You might as well be dead, for all he knows," Past Self said suddenly. _

_Luna looked up to see her perched on a beam, swinging her legs haphazardly. She was eating an apple, and wherever the hell ghosts got food from around here was beyond Luna's comprehension at the moment._

_"What the hell did you do, huh?" She demanded. Past Self hopped down with a shrug, striding over to Luna. _

_"I just messed with his vision a little so we could have a chat. About this Demon Boy and why the hell you haven't killed him yet."_

_Luna sighed impatiently. "You and I both made a promise. That we'd protect him no matter what once we found him. I do not wish nor intend to go back on that promise."_

_Past Self's temper flared; even Naruto could feel it, judging by how suddenly he jumped and winced. _

_She glared at Luna. "Are you telling me...that after all this guy's caused...from killing your dad, to turning Snake Man's attention onto you...and making you MURDER OUR FAMILY, MY FAMILY...AND YOU JUST FORGIVE HIM?"_

_She dashed towards Luna so fast she disappeared a couple times along the way, grabbing Luna's wrist and squeezing it so tightly her bones started protesting. _

_"You BITCH. You stupid bitch! I loved them. I loved my new mommy and daddy. And HE'S the reason Snake Man knew about me. HE'S the reason I came to the Sasakis in the first place. Thanks to NARUTO UZUMAKI, I killed my foster parents and made sure Will and his whole surviving family would be sad for the rest of their lives."_

_She let go of her wrist before continuing. "Do you realize...That we left their bodies so bloodied...That if they hadn't been the residents of that house, they would have been UNRECOGNIZABLE. That's the kind of rage that DEMON BOY over there infused within Snake Man, which was infused within us in turn."_

_Past Self was on the brink of tears, and Luna was shaking at the images of mangled and bloodied bodies flashing in her mind. "But it wasn't his fault, it was-" _

_"The Nine-Tailed Fox's fault? Oh, gimme a fucking BREAK!" Mini-Luna paused to wipe at her eyes, sniffling._

_"You wanna know what you have Naruto Uzumaki to thank for? I now know that I grow up to be a teenage girl who's never been to school and can't remember the last time she had something as mundane as...say...a Pop-Tart."_

_"What's a Pop-Tart?"_

_"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I KILL YOU MYSELF! ...You just proved my point. You're pathetic! WE'RE pathetic! I grow up to be a girl who talks to ghosts, who's been handling guns since she was nine, who's been killing people since she was eight and a half, who's been poked and prodded and tested on, who's never been in a relationship that didn't involve death, who's never known anybody who hasn't come to regret it in one way or another...I've grown up to be...a...misguided ghost! That's what you are! A shell of a person! And you'll never be whole, NEVER! Thanks to him, you'll be this person who's young in years, but old and tired in the mind, and we'll die before we're thirty! You-"_

_"ENOUGH!" Luna screamed, angry tears springing to her eyes. "You know what? Lemme tell you something. I don't totally forgive him. Of COURSE I don't! Do you honestly think I haven't thought of all those things you've mentioned, at least a hundred times over since I can remember? You NEVER completely heal from something like that, even when you know it wasn't that person's fault. Never! But that doesn't mean I'm ignorant enough to blame this all on him. Don't get me wrong, I...I..."_

_She shook her head quickly, not noticing Naruto blinking as if seeing her for the first time. _

_"...Sometimes, I feel the utmost rage towards him. Almost outright hatred. I HATE HIM SOMETIMES, ABSOLUTELY HATE HIM! ...I hate the DEMON! I hate that demon with all my heart, if I even have one! If I had the opportunity to kill him, I would in a heartbeat, if I had a heart that could beat! My heart hasn't beat in years, not like it normally does for girls my age. Girls who have the right to be excited, or nervous, or happy, or even loved...and...I have that demon to thank for that! I...I hate it, I hate that demon, okay? ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW?"_

_Past Self was silent, looking to her right. Luna followed her gaze to see Naruto there, his whole body shaking. "...About time you admitted it."_

* * *

_Naruto wasn't surprised. Okay, yeah he was. _

_Figures he would finally hear her say what he had been expecting for so long, RIGHT when he started believing her when she said she forgave him and trusted him._

_She looked completely surprised. "...Naruto, you can see me!" She said with relief. It must've been around that time that she processed what he had just said, and she started shaking her head._

_"You didn't hear the whole conversation, I-"_

_"No, it's fine. Really." Of course, while he was assuring her it was fine, he could feel himself slipping into rage. NOW who was the liar?_

_Luna opened her mouth to defend herself some more, but his expression stopped her cold. "If there's one thing...I absolutely can NOT stand, Luna...it's people who lie to themselves...Like I've been doing this whole time..."_

_He felt chakra coming off him in waves, but he didn't care. He was beyond rational thoughts at this point. "I knew, I fricking KNEW, that you hated me. And to think I started BELIEVING you when you denied it!"_

_Luna shook her head. "Naruto, I don't HATE YOU, I hate-"_

_"The demon? What the HELL do you think I am?" He shouted, feeling the Nine-Tails stretching his legs, sheathing and unsheathing his claws. His satisfied chuckle rumbled in Naruto's chest. _

_**Finally, some leg room...About time, Brat.**_

_She was staring at him in disbelief. His guess was that the Fox was starting to show on him. "You know what sucks? I was starting to trust you too. All that CARRYING YOUR WEAK ASS AROUND, pulling stakes out of you and helping patch up your pathetic body whenever you got hurt, trying to calm you down when you were scared out of your TWISTED MIND...for what? NOTHING, that's what, NOTHING!" He shouted, shaking even more now._

_Luna looked absolutely terrified, but it was gone in an instant. "...You don't scare me, Naruto. I don't want to, but I will defeat you. I cannot protect you if I'm dead," She declared._

_Naruto laughed, and it sounded more like the Nine-Tails than him. He felt his rational thoughts slipping away, the last one containing something about how happy he was to make her go all formal. It was usually something reserved for something that scared her out of her mind, made her want to die, or both. _

_"Ha! Even now, you're still lying to yourself! You just don't really know how to stop, do you? Is lying all you know?"_

_Fear didn't cross her face this time, determination did. She saw his chakra coming, and dodged the demon-fox shroud just in time as it lashed out for her, taking out a line of trees instead. _

_Naruto laughed again as the Purifying Light went out; along with it went his last thread of sanity, temporarily replaced by a personality two-thirds Kyuubi. "Huh. When did those trees get here? Oh well. This'll all be over before you know it." _

_Luna nodded. "Indeed it will. I would like to knock some sense into you quickly."_

* * *

_Luna looked up at this new Naruto in disbelief as she barely dodged another swipe from the cloud-like chakra surrounding him._

_It was in the form of two tails, and she wasn't liking the way it flicked around him. Almost as if it had a mind of its own. _

_Also, his eyes...they were red, and sort of slitted. His lips were outlined in black, and his whisker-like birthmarks were deeper and more pronounced._

_All-in-all, he looked like...the Nine-Tails in human form. Demon Boy. Luna remembered what Kushina had told her, and gave him the most regretful and reassuring look she could muster while basically doing acrobatics worthy of the Olympics and the La Nouba combined to try and avoid getting her major organs sliced open by chakra._

_"Naruto, listen to me, just calm down! How about this? You can shout at me all you want, I might even let you see me cry, and if you still hate me, I'll let you shoot me at least eight times. Okay? With my own gun! But...Please, just CALM YOURSELF!"_

_"NO! JUST SHUT UP! I'M TIRED OF LISTENING TO YOU TRY AND LOGICALIZE EVERYTHING! LIFE'S NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE, GOOD AND BAD, LOVE AND HATE! ...But right now...I hate you. I HATE YOU!" He shouted._

_The mere strength of his voice knocked her over, and she flipped mid-air before ramming against a tree, sliding to the ground. She cursed to herself. "Fuck. I've never been good at negotiation. ...Guess that's why I'm not one of the Agency's ambassadors..."_

_She rolled to the right mere seconds before his roar caused several trees to collapse, the biggest one falling right where she had been laying._

_"GET UP AND FIGHT! I SPENT ALL THIS TIME PROTECTING YOU! ALL THIS TIME HELPING YOU WITH YOUR GHOSTS, AND YOUR NIGHTMARES, AND YOUR PAIN FROM THAT DAMN TATTOO! Well, lemme tell you, you don't know the MEANING of the word pain, but you sure as hell will when I'M DONE WITH YOU!"_

_"Naruto, LISTEN TO ME! Take a good look at what you're doing! You're not destroying ME, not yet! You'll destroy YOURSELF first! After you merge further into the Nine-Tails, what's gonna happen once you kill me and the chakra starts to consume you? WHO'S GONNA HELP YOU THEN, HUH? NO ONE ELSE AROUND HERE KNOWS HOW!"_

_"I don't care. I DON'T CARE! I JUST WANT YOU GONE! I wanna see you screaming in pain and dying slowly, YOU HEAR ME? YOU WANT A DEMON TO KILL,YOU'VE GOT ONE IF YOU CAN CATCH ME!" He roared, causing a few limbs to come down and graze her arm, scraping across it._

* * *

_Luna hissed, but dodged the rest of the falling limbs, not having time to worry about her skinned forearm._

_"...AND I'LL GET MY HEADBAND BACK!" He added. Luna glanced down at his headband, still tied tightly across her arm._

_Naruto paused for a second, his newly-grown third tail flicking around casually. "...Oh. That's right. ANOTHER thing of mine I gave up. To take care of you, AS USUAL."_

_"I wasn't aware there was a reason for you to STOP taking care of me. I'm still trying my best to take care of YOU. Naruto, I've said it several times, and I shall say it again. I. Do. Not. HATE YOU!" She insisted._

_One of his tails lashed out at her, and she just barely dodged it by hitting the ground and rolling to the left._

_Luna almost couldn't get up. This miasma...and the chakra in the air...It was all too much. _

_"SHUT UP ABOUT THAT! I know what I heard, and it all makes sense. It doesn't make SENSE to forgive me. It doesn't make SENSE for you not to hate me. EVERYONE ELSE HAS AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER, MOST OF THEM FOR EVEN PETTIER REASONS! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT WHAT YOU FEEL?"_

_Luna staggered to her feet, eyes threatening to close from exhaustion as his fourth tail started to form. She felt blood trickling down the side of her head, probably from cracking it against a tree trunk earlier, and her finger was sticking out wrong. AGAIN. _

_His fourth tail...it looked sort of like the lava lamp Becs showed her in a magazine years ago. And it was downright terrifying, considering her extremely weakened condition._

_She felt someone squeeze her shoulder, and blinked up at them in surprise. Kushina was there, looking up at her son. "So THIS is why I'm here. Luna, listen carefully. I don't know how you can defeat him without killing him or injuring him severely, seeing as you're an assassin and all, but I suggest you think of a way quickly. I can only hold him off for so long. HURRY!"_

_With that, Kushina dashed towards her son, using the walls as leverage, and weaved in and out around his feet._

* * *

_He was now slowly turning into a scarier version of the Nine-Tails, and Luna was under a ton of pressure now, what with fighting flashbacks from taking over her vision and trying to think of a solution all at once._

_She thought hard, so hard her head hurt. **Think, think, think dammit!** It was then it occurred to her: What had she been fighting everything off with at this point?_

_To test out her theory, as Kushina did whatever she was doing, Luna snapped a picture of Naruto with her Camera Obscura._

_Not so much as a dent in his health, visible in the right-hand corner of the viewfinder. "But...I REALLY think this is the way..." Then another thought occurred to her. She WAS a Spirit _

_Conductor. _

_And this place was jam-packed with spirits! Could she not just feed off their energies and harness them to super-charge the Fatal Frame? _

_With enough power, she might even take him out with one hit!_

_"HURRY!" Kushina shouted over Naruto's roaring, having chained him. Luna nodded and, __Camera Obscura at the ready, launched herself off the walls like Kushina had._

_Harnessing as much of the spirits' energies as she could, Luna waited until she was nearly in his face before blasting all of it out with her Fatal Frame-Close Shot._

_**FLAAAAAAASSSSH!**_

* * *

_Naruto let out a pain-filled scream, making her want to apologize a million times over. But she didn't apologize. She didn't cry out in pain when his chakra retaliated by slashing across her side, burning her a bit._

_She simply got in every combo shot and Fatal Frame she could, until Kushina told her in an extremely gentle tone that he was unconscious and she could stop._

_Luna dropped her Camera, not caring if it broke or not, sinking to her knees. Naruto was indeed unconscious, his skin completely bloody._

_"...What...What do I do now?"_

_Kushina looked down at her son solemnly. "Heal him as much as you can." Personally, Luna would much rather curl into a ball and never wake up again, but she nodded and inched closer to him._

_Luna had a fleeting fear that he would pop up and grab her, burning her with the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra until she was nothing but a scorched corpse, but that fear turned into sorrow and shame as she heard his ragged __breathing._

_He was struggling. She summoned some healing jutsu before sighing at her stupidity, pulling his t-shirt off and over his head first._

_Like the jutsu would go through good if there was clothing in the way. NO. _

_She nearly forgot that rule, even though Sakura had repeated it HUNDREDS of times. Kushina watched her for a few moments before going over to another corner of the clearing in the Manor-Induced Woods, recuperating after using so much energy to restrain her son._

_Once she wasn't under close observation anymore, Luna felt the full reality of that whole scenario hit her like a wave._

_He had tried to kill her, because she was stupid enough to not word herself correctly. He thought she hated him, that she was lying to herself, that...she didn't even remember half of the things he said, but she knew they weren't flattering to say the least._

_Not that she deserved much flattery. She felt totally miserable and irresponsible, and guilty, and all-around like she should be shot. "This Manor...I can feel it restraining his self-control...All it would take would be one flare of his temper, one heated argument to send him over the edge...It was bound to happen, which is probably why I got pulled into the Manor. Maternal instinct, perhaps?" Kushina mused._

_With every ragged and strained, fluid-filled breath he took (and she knew good and well that the fluid was most definitely him almost choking on his own blood), it made Luna's chest ache more and more._

_"It's my fault...It's all my fault!"_

_"What the hell happened here?" Rei said suddenly out of nowhere__._


	45. I'll Keep On Living, Even With The Pain

**Well, this is it! The last official chapp! After this is the Q & A Session, and you can TRY to send in any extra questions you might have from the ending or that you forgot to ask, because it took me 3 days to do this final chapp so i have no idea when i'll get to the Session XD**

**So keep that in mind, enjoy, and REVIEW! This is your last chance to tell me what you thought of the whole fic!**

**Again, enjoy. :)**

**

* * *

**

_Luna didn't look at Rei, focusing on Naruto's bloodied stomach as it rose and fell. "I nearly killed him after he nearly killed me, in a nutshell. I almost wish he had succeeded."_

_Kushina hissed in a sharp breath as she moved her ankle the wrong way. "Naruto temporarily lost control of the Nine-Tailed Fox. I assume you know what that is."_

_Rei must've nodded, because Kushina soon continued. "That younger version of Luna I've seen wandering around tricked him. I heard her bragging about it to Kyouka Kuze afterward, and I got here as fast as I could, but..."_

"_Don't say 'but'! It makes it seem hopeless," Luna said urgently, pressing her hands tighter against his skin._

_What was left of it. The chakra was just so corrosive that once he entered his fourth Tail State, the chakra must have been burning his skin and regenerating him at the same time._

_Naruto was lucky he wasn't burnt to a crisp right now. "Is Reika gone, Rei?" _

"_Sort of...I'll explain that later...Luna, is he gonna be alright? I-Is that...his BLOOD?"_

"_Yes. Yes it is. As to his condition, I am not sure. He is still alive at the moment, if that is what you mean. I am afraid I am not as good of a medical ninja as Sakura, therefore I have no idea how well my healing jutsu will work on Naruto in his current state."_

"_You're going all formal...That can't be good..." Rei muttered to herself. Luna winced. That had been one of his most common terms. _

_Great, now she was referring to him in the past-tense. Even SHE was acting as if he were already dead._

"_Kei's alive. He was in the Chamber of Thorns, spared becaused he carried Kaname's earring. He's looking for Miku back in the Himuro Mansion portion of the Manor of Sleep," Rei explained quietly._

_Luna nodded stiffly, wincing and trying to stay conscious. There was a silence, and footsteps. Rei crouched next to Luna, watching her pretend not to notice her there._

_Luna winced especially hard when he coughed, but at the same time was relieved to see him react in a way other than barely breathing._

"_...Luna...That's a lot of blood he's lost."_

"_If anyone can survive this, it is Naruto Uzumaki."_

"_That's the problem. Luna, I...I don't think anyone CAN survive this. Not with all this miasma, and being surrounded by death. Why don't we take him back to reality? Take him to a hospital?"_

"_Are you crazy? No simple medical facility in your world can help him! We would have to take him to a Konoha hospital, and by that time he could die. No, he must be healed here. Kushina, can you offer some assistance?"_

_She nodded and crouched beside Luna's other side, but after a few minutes, she shook her head slowly. "I don't have enough chakra to help out much-"_

"_Any chakra would be an improvement. I do not know how much longer I can remain conscious," Luna replied in an almost emotionless tone. _

_Rei looked even more worried at that. Naruto must've also told her that was the warning sign of her slipping into shock or depression._

_Stupid Naruto. Knowing her that well._

_

* * *

_

_After a few moments, Luna was starting to sweat and shiver, the Tattoo having steadily crept up to her face._

_It was rising up her cheeks, giving her face an effect of being engulfed in dark-sapphire-almost-green smoke._

_Kushina was trying her best to help, and together they had gotten most of his lower half healed._

_It didn't take much longer for Naruto's mother to shake her head. "I'm sorry, I...I have no more chakra left. I used almost all of it for those chains."_

_Luna nodded stiffly, and Rei put a hand on her shoulder gently. "Luna, I don't think there's much else we can do..."_

_She didn't reply, just tried to slow her breathing so they wouldn't be so worried about her. They should be more worried about Naruto._

"_I know this isn't easy for you to do, but I don't want you killing yourself trying to save him."_

"_I am not killing myself, I am...simply...trying...to use all the chakra I can..."Luna got out between breaths._

_She was losing energy fast._

"_Luna-"_

"_STOP CALLING MY NAME! I AM SICK OF HEARING IT! I AM NOT LEAVING HIM HERE, AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT! YOU CAN LEAVE, BY ALL MEANS, BUT THERE IS NO WAY I WILL LEAVE HIM BEHIND!" She snapped, hating that the tears that had been brimming her eyes this whole time spilled over with her outburst._

_Rei sighed patiently, trying to reason with her. "Listen, would Naruto want you doing this to yourself? Look at you, the Tattoo's almost in your eyes! And what then? Do you want to end up like Yoshino? Do you want to turn to ash and never leave the Manor again?"_

_Luna didn't take her eyes off him, shaking her head. "That will not happen to me. I will not LET it happen. I am assuring you, I am not finished yet. I may not have much energy left, but what I have is powerful."_

_Rei was silent after looking at Kushina, who just shook her head. "There's no use reasoning with her. And don't you dare ask me to, because if Minato were laying in front of me like that, I would be doing the same exact thing."_

_A good five minutes passed, and his cells were successfully regenerating and replenishing from the waist down when her chakra ran out._

_They all felt the sudden jolt in the air, her chakra having been swelling around them with intensity._

"_No. No, I'm not done with you yet!" She said frantically as if he could hear her, tapping into her spirit energy. Rei's eyes widened at how much thicker the air got, before thinning out as the spirits still in the Manor were deprived of the energy needed to manifest._

"_How..."_

"_The Spirit Conductor, remember?" Kushina replied, watching Luna with a hint of pride on her face. _

_Luna continued to focus on nothing but Naruto, willing all her energy into him. **I refuse to quit on you...**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**FIFTEEN ****MINUTES LATER...**_

_Miku struggled to keep up with Kei. "Where exactly are we running to?" She asked groggily, Kei having woken her up mere moments ago._

_He had found her lying in front of the mirror, the one she had been looking into when Reika took her._

"_We're following the path of destruction," He replied solemnly as they continued to dodge all the fallen trees._

"_Who...WHAT did this?"_

"_Naruto."_

"_What? No way!"_

"_Afraid so. Rei explained it to me. Something about anger issues." Miku shook her head skeptically. "These weren't due to mere anger issues. I don't need a college degree to know that."_

_Kei's temple throbbed, but his expression turned from one of annoyance to one of remorse. "...What?" Miku asked carefully, but there was no need for him to point, because it was then she saw what he was so solemn about._

_There was a beautiful older woman standing off to the side beside Rei as they watched another young redhead hunched over a bloodied figure._

_The younger redhead...it took her a moment to figure out who it was. Luna was so deathly pale, drenched in what seemed to be a cold sweat judging from how much she was shivering. _

_She was breathing heavily and raggedly, her whole body shaking from not only the shivers, but from exhaustion. The Cursed Tattoo, which Miku seemed to somehow be lacking since she woke up, was now spreading up Luna's face, dangerously close to her eyes._

"_Luna..." Kei began, but Rei shook her head quickly. "She won't listen to anyone. We've tried all we can. As long as he's still breathing and she's still conscious, she's not stopping."_

_The beautiful woman beside Rei nodded, watching Luna carefully. "Who...Who are **you**?" Kei asked a little dazedly._

_The woman smirked. "Kushina Uzumaki, and I'm happily married, kid."_

_Kei's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and Miku smiled pleasantly at Kushina. It was nice to meet Naruto's mother._

_Although, it'd be nicer if it weren't under these circumstances. "What...HAPPENED?" Miku asked no one in particular._

_Rei and Kushina shook their heads like crazy. "DON'T ASK THAT."_

_They had started talking in hushed whispers on how to best pry Luna away from Naruto when they heard a very distinct sob from the teenager-in-question._

_

* * *

_

_Luna tried her best to ignore them talking. She didn't want to lose concentration, because if she did, she might pass out._

_Her spirit energy was slowly emptying itself, but she was so close to fixing him. So close to being able to rest._

_The only cells left were the ones around his stomach, home to the most vital organs. Everywhere else was healed and regenerated, working properly._

_But he was still unconscious. Still occasionally coughing or grunting painfully. Still...hating her? Luna knew it was selfish, but she didn't want him to die before forgiving her. _

_She didn't want him to die PERIOD, but if he died now...she would...She didn't even know. Luna had just applied some spirit energy to the rest of his heart, moving on to his weakened lungs, when she felt the chakra again._

_In her side, the one that he had slashed. It would twinge a little every now and then, but now that her energy supply was being depleted quicker than it could regenerate, the pain was worsening._

_Which was in turn making the Tattoo spread in reaction to her pain, both inner and outer. And every time he took another ragged breath, her inner pain most definitely grew, nearly rivaling her outer pain._

_She remembered a random tidbit from earlier, where she declared that she could go her whole life without seeing his face again. _

"_I...I hope you know I didn't mean that. If you die here, I...won't be able to live with myself...This is my fault, and mine alone. I pushed you over the edge, like I knew I would. I...always do that, you see...It's what I am best at...pushing...people away. As...Mini-Me...pointed out..." _

_She paused to hiss in a breath as the pains increased, swallowing harrd. "...Everyone I have...known throughout my life...has not yet lived...to...not regret it...eventually..."_

_Luna's heart sunk to her toes as she saw the glow around her palms falter before sluggishly returning, and a tiny sob escaped her dry lips before she could stop it._

_She only had one organ left to heal. Only one. Then he might live. Then she could pass out. With a few deep breaths, Luna prepared to do something extremely stupid and reckless._

_Kushina stood up instantly, making Luna wonder if she could read her mind. "Luna, think about what you're about to do," She warned. _

"_I have. That is why I'm doing it so quickly, before I have time to logicalize it even more and realize how stupidly reckless it is."_

_And with that, she forced every single ounce of strength she had within her into her hands, into whatever was left of Naruto's to heal, and her energy was almost completely gone._

_And then he did something wonderful, absolutely wonderful. He breathed normally._

_

* * *

_

_There were hands on his bare stomach. He almost immediately knew they were hands because he could feel the shape of them and how extremely cold they were._

_Naruto groaned, coughing and sitting up slowly before flopping back down. The hands stayed there, planted on him tightly as if trying to balance._

_He opened his eyes groggily and saw Luna looking down at him through half-lidded eyes. She looked...he hated to say it, but she looked practically dead._

_It looked like she really WAS using him for balance, her hands braced against him as if they were the only thing keeping her from keeling over._

_And the Tattoo...It was nearly touching the corners of her eyelids. There were a few tear marks on her face._

"_...What happened?" He asked in a slightly-hoarse voice, clearing his throat after hearing his own voice. _

_She let out a breath she probably didn't even know she was holding, sighing with relief. "I will...expla..." She couldn't even finish her sentence, she was so winded._

_Naruto struggled briefly before finally managing to sit up, and she moved her hands to the ground, hunched over as if about to throw up._

_He looked up at everyone else after slipping his shirt back on. He saw his mom, Rei, Kei, and Miku, looking like someone had died._

"_...What's wrong?"_

_Kushina looked down at her hands. "I wish my chakra was back...Naruto, do you know healing jutsu? Wait, no, you couldn't, you just regained consciousness and aren't NEAR strong enough..."_

_Naruto's temple throbbed. "That's more than a little insulting." He turned his head back to Luna after hearing her have a coughing fit; she seemed to be trying not to let herself lay down, but at the same time her arm muscles were quivering in warning._

"_Loon, what's wrong with you?"_

"_She used everything she had to get you healed up. Chakra and spirit energy, all of which she used up too quickly to gain back. And if she can't catch her breath and recuperate, which seems near impossible with this miasma cutting off her spiritual energy, I...I can't really be sure of how long she'll have," Mom explained softly. _

_He stared at Luna in disbelief. "...How did you NOT know that would happen?" _

"_She DID, dumbass!" Kei replied heatedly, as if this was all his fault. Rei put a hand on Kei's shoulder, and Miku looked at everyone pointedly. "Erm...Perhaps we should wait patiently further into the woods..."_

_After a few moments of everyone looking at Kei, he seemed to finally understand whatever it was everyone else seemed to already know._

_Kei nodded slowly and followed the others quickly, nearly tripping in his hurry and awkwardly regaining balance. "Ohhh! Right, right. Indeed, let us...wait...over there..." _

_

* * *

_

_Naruto just shook his head before turning back to Luna, who was hunched over and was apparently SERIOUSLY resisting the urge to throw up._

"_Loon, what'd you do to yourself, huh?" He muttered as he touched her shoulder, making her jump._

_She looked over at him, looking like SHE was the one needing extreme healing at the moment. Like she was knocking on death's door._

_**That Tattoo...** "It's almost in your eyes...And then you'll turn to ash, right?" Naruto touched her face in part of the new territory the Tattoo had crept onto while he was unconscious._

_Luna closed her eyes briefly, and for a split second he was downright terrified the Tattoo had spread and that she was going to die for sure. But its movement was due to it reverting, jumping away from the side of her eyes and retreating back to the further ends of her face._

"_I...don't know...how you...did that, but...please do it again..." She managed to get out, eyes squeezed shut in pain._

"_I don't know how I did it either, but...hmmm..." Naruto touched her wrist, and the same thing happened. _

_Her face relaxed before being caught up in pain again, and he nodded slowly. "I think I get it! Come here."_

_She shook her head stiffly, and he paled. "Oh. Right. No energy. I'll come to you, then." He could practically hear her wondering how he was so nonchalant after "nearly dying"._

_Naruto scooted over to her, getting as close as possible, before pulling her to him. She didn't have the energy to resist, even if she had wanted to. _

_But since she leaned into him and buried her face against him, he was guessing she didn't want to resist in the first place._

_It took a second for Naruto to realize she was sobbing with what little energy she had left, and he rubbed her back soothingly. "It's okay, look, the Tattoo's going away, see?"_

_Indeed it was. It had reverted completely off her face and most of her arms. It took him a while to finally figure out why he was getting unbelievably painful cold flashes all of a sudden: the Tattoo was transferring to his skin, and then the Nine-Tails would get rid of it._

"_Damn, you're lucky to have me," He muttered. This time her frame shook with what seemed to be an attempt to laugh._

"_...I just realized something. Don't slap me when I do this, okay? I just wanna make sure I get the whole Tattoo," He said carefully, the hand on her back tracing her spine all the way down._

_Okay, so the featherlight touches and slight caresses that followed the spine-tracing weren't exactly necessary, but he wanted to hear her make those noises again and again. They were like sighs, only just pathetic attempts at them._

_They sounded addictively good all the same._

_Her hands curled up reflexively when that same hand of his grazed her thigh, going up her hip and the rest of her side, all the way back up to the nape of her neck._

_Luna's breathing was better, probably due to the Tattoo being gone, and she let out an actual sigh this time. A grateful one. "Th-Thank you," She managed to mutter against him, leaning more heavily against him._

_His grip tightened into what could TECHNICALLY be classified as a hug, as did her grip on him._

_But like THEY would hug each other. Nope. Never. Not for anything. So there you have it, end of discussion. _

"_Thanks for not giving up on me...I heard you gave me all ya had just now."_

"_I did. I suppose you were right when you called me an idiot," Luna replied a little breathlessly, still just totally drained of energy._

_Naruto chuckled and slid his arm under the backs of her knees, standing up and taking her with him. "Tell me something I didn't know."_

"_**You obviously don't know how highly she thinks of you if I could get you to turn on her THAT easily," **A painfully familiar voice sneered._

_

* * *

_

_Luna's whole body went rigid in his arms, and Naruto turned to give Mini-Luna a weird look. "Whatchya talkin' about?"_

_Both Lunas gaped at him. "You don't remember?"_

"_Remember what?"_

_Mini-Luna burst into laughter, holding her stomach as she doubled over. "HAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S RICH! That's just hysterical! Hahahaha! Who do you think did all THIS, and why do you think she's in such bad shape with all that blood, and that broken finger? DUMBASS, it was you!" She explained in a not-so-gentle manner, spreading her arms to gesture to the fallen trees._

_Naruto looked around, then looked at Luna. Wow, she really WAS in bad shape. There was dried blood that had trickled down from the left side of her forehead, and she was currently cradling her hand with the injured finger, which was sticking out at an extremely wrong angle._

_And now that he REALLY looked, her shirt was scorched all across her side, making an odd slash-like mark._

_He had thought when his hand ran across it earlier that it was just a pattern on her shirt. He was wrong, AGAIN, as usual. Naruto eyed her carefully. "Is she right? I...did all this?"_

_Luna's hesitation was enough of an answer. "W-Well, uh-"_

_Naruto groaned. "Agh, I did it again! Why'd I do it? Did anyone else get hurt besides you and me?"_

"_Why would you hurt anyone else? No one else was around, and she was the only one around who said she **hated you**!" Mini-Luna replied, making Luna grow even tenser._

_He just scoffed, looking pointedly at the Luna he was currently carrying. "Oh, I can practically feel the hate coming off her in waves. Y'know, that's probably EXACTLY why she nearly killed herself trying to heal me up! Glad you cleared that up for us, thanks."_

_Luna was trying extremely hard not to smile, he could tell. Too bad she was so good at fighting that urge. She always looked a lot prettier when she smiled, even though she was plenty attractive to begin with._

_He shifted her so he had a better grip, one of his thumbs rubbing the back of her knee. "Weeeelll, we should probably go catch up with Mr. Amakuuuura and everyone else."_

_Mini-Luna stomped her foot. "No. NO, you're staying right here and finishing her off! She hates you, remember? Did you not hear a WORD I said?" She shouted after him._

"_Noope. I never listen, just ask Luna."_

"_It's true," She croaked. Mini-Luna was shaking with fury at this point, and she balled up her fists before running after them, disappearing and reappearing as she pleased._

"_No. I won't let you go! I've been waiting for you to die for so long, Luna, SO LONG, DO YOU HEAR ME?"_

"_Hard not to, you ARE Luna after all," Naruto grumbled in reply. This time, Luna really did smile._

_As if he could sense her getting too close, Naruto set Present-Luna down gently before standing back up and stopping Mini-Luna just in time by putting his palm flat against her forehead._

_Luna couldn't help but smirk. "That looks familiar," She commented as Mini-Luna started shouting a string of curses and tried to pull his hair._

_He tilted his head back to look at her with a grin. "This'll only take a second." He looked back down at Mini-Luna, cocking his head. "Man, Loon, you were such a BRAT."_

* * *

"_Don't talk down to me, bastard! I killed my parents, I think I can kill you no problem!" She snarled._

"_Speaking of which, shouldn't you be trying to find our foster mother?" Luna inquired, having almost completely forgotten that the woman was in the manor also._

_Past Self glared at her. "She's been gone for forever now. I assume she left me, just like everyone else. Just like everyone else's gonna leave you."_

_Even with Naruto's palm covering part of her eyes, they were still intimidatingly cold as she added, "Like that Alex guy. Remember him? If I were him, I'd be HELLA GLAD you killed me. Put him out of his misery."_

_Luna flinched involuntarily, and Naruto seemed to know without even looking at her how big of a nerve that had struck. "Hey, shut the hell up! You're going up against ME here, not her."_

_Mini-Luna grinned. "Oh, that's right." She then did something that caught them all by surprise. She made a rasengan that Naruto just barely missed direct force from. It knocked him into some trees and rendered him temporarily unconscious, but luckily that was the only thing it did._

_Luna's eyes widened. "The magic tricks Snake Man taught me. Snake Man must have been a ninja..."_

_Past Self rolled her eyes. "Duh. Now...I think it's about time you paid for your crimes, Luna Sasaki."_

_Luna sighed tiredly; she still had virtually no energy chakra-and-spirit-wise. "Listen, Luna. Or me. Whatever. Can't we just let bygones be bygones?"_

"_HELL no. Are you not understanding what I've been saying to you all this time? You. Are. A. Cold-blooded. Fricking. KILLER! People like that shouldn't just get let off scott-free! They usually get at LEAST jail-time, sometimes the death penalty!"_

_Luna glared at her, staggering to her feet. "SCOTT-FREE? I think I have been MORE than punished! I've lost so much, thanks to that, and I will most likely be miserable for the rest of my days. You've already won!"_

_Past Self let out a slight growl as she launched herself towards her, kunai at the ready. Luna wondered where the hell she got a weapon like that in this place._

_She used what little chakra she had left to block the attack, forming a sort of protection over her hand to keep it from getting cut._

_THAT didn't last too long. It was around the time Past Self managed to get a pretty nasty gash runnning down her forearm when Luna had such an obvious idea hit her that she nearly facepalmed herself._

"_OF COURSE!" She shouted before imagining Past Self's spirit energy as a ribbon. She then imagined taking that ribbon and wrapping it around her, tying it to her own ribbon. __In a matter of seconds, Luna felt like she drank too much caffeine and Past Self had fallen to her knees, groaning and doubled-over with exhaustion._

_Which in turn made LUNA exhausted, but it was soon replaced by the spirit energy, and the scenario kept repeating itself due to their unique connection._

_Until a woman she had seen only once in the Manor came into view, offering Mini-Luna her hand. "Honey, let it go. Let her go."_

"_NO! She ruined my life! Someone has to be held responsible for that, someone else! It's not fair for me to have to feel so guilty and despicable forever and ever and ever! Mommy...I..."_

_She was crying. The little brat was crying, and her sympathy act was totally working on Luna. She had the sinking feeling it wasn't an act anymore._

_She looked up at Luna before looking back down, not able to look her in the eye out of shame. "I just...I wanted my chest to stop feeling so heavy...I wanted to stop feeling so sad...!"_

_Mrs. Sasaki squeezed her foster child's shoulder. "I know you were. Sweetie, it's okay. We can leave now."_

"_...We can?"_

_She nodded, helping her up. "Yep! We can leave, and you'll feel better once we do." Past Self tugged on her mom's hand. "Well then let's go, c'mon!"_

_Mrs. Sasaki laughed and pried her fingers away from her child's. "Just a second, lemme talk to the Other Luna first."_

_Past Self huffed and folded her arms across her chest moodily. "Okaaaay..." Luna was shaking by the time her foster mother reached her, and she smiled warmly. "Hi there. I've probably already said this, but my, how you've grown!"_

_Luna nodded anxiously. "You-You have," She stammered, making Mrs. Sasaki laugh. "There's no reason to be nervous! I just want to tell you goodbye."_

"_Oh. Well...I guess this is goodbye then, Mrs. Sasaki." An unreadable expression crossed the woman's face before being replaced by a pensive smile._

"_You used to call me 'mommy'. That was good. But you can just call me Susanna." Luna nodded again. "Susanna. Alright. …May I...May I ask you something?"_

"_Anything."_

"_Why...does he forgive me? Will. I...killed you guys. I ruined his whole life. Why does he not hate me, like...well, MY OWN VERSION OF MYSELF does?"_

_Susanna hesitated, then made a clicking noise with her tongue. "Luna, sweetie...No one hates you. You wanna know something? The main reason for that younger version of you's entire existence is because a part of you hates YOURSELF for what you did. If not for that, she wouldn't have been brought to this Manor of Sleep."_

_She smiled warmly again. "And there's no reason to hate yourself, Luna. We all know it wasn't your fault. And I know that – though you may not remember it that well – you loved me and my husband. And Will. And you would never do something so horrible of your own accord."_

"_But that's the thing, Mrs. Sa- ...Susanna. It's what I do. For a living. I kill people at a moment's notice. I **would** do something that horrible of my own accord, without a second thought. So how do I know the murder of you and your husband was any different?"_

"_Because at the time, you refused to squash bugs and yelled at Will and Akio whenever I had one of them kill one for me. I think it was our deaths that made it easy for you to kill, and for that I'm so deeply sorry...This isn't your fault. Before I died...I knew you were suffering, I just didn't know what was wrong, I...I shoud've taken you to a doctor, or at least contacted the man who brought you to us and asked him about it! And I didn't, so thanks to that...All this happened."_

_Luna wished the ground would open up and swallow her as she noticed Susanna was crying, and she shook her head quickly. "Please, do not cry for me. I...I hate it when people cry for me. If anything, I should be crying for you."_

_Susanna smiled and hugged her, catching Luna by surprise. She awkwardly squeezed her back before deciding she like the feeling and hugging her for real. This woman smelled nice. She wasn't as cold as the other ghosts._

"_I suppose you're right. Why should I cry for you, anyways? I know you'll be happy, I know you will."_

"_Thank you," Luna said, not really knowing whether she bought that or not. Mrs. Sasaki stepped back and looked at her, hands still on her shoulders. "...Ah, I'm gonna miss seeing that face. Well, hopefully it'll be a long time before I see it again. ...Goodbye, Luna."_

"_Goodbye."_

_

* * *

_

_She watched them go, Past Self skipping along and holding Susanna's hand. "Where's daddy?"_

"_He's waiting for us on the Other Side."_

"_Mommy, where're we going exactly?"_

"_Heaven, sweetie."_

"_Is it fun?"_

"_Funner than you could possibly imagine."_

"_Funner than DISNEY WORLD? Because Will told me once that you took him, and it was the...the...'Happiest Place on Earth'! Yeah, that's it. "_

"_...Hmm...Funner than Disney World. That's a toughie. I guess we'll have to see, huh?"_

"_Yeah. Hopefully there's sun there. I'm sick of the dark."_

"_Me too, Luna, me too."_

_It was around that time Naruto groaned, and Luna sweatdropped. "Oh. So NOW you choose to grace me with your presence."_

_He sat up and looked around. "What happened?" "You got your ass kicked by an eight-year-old. Congrats."_

"_Hey, NOT FAIR! She used a fricking RASENGAN!"_

"_So you DO remember. Good, you passed the test." Naruto gave her The Look before picking her up. "Feel free to shut up at any time."_

"_Why would I wanna do that? And deprive people of hearing my wonderful voice? NEVER!"_

"_BRAT!"_

"_MUAHAHAHA!"_

_

* * *

_

_When they finally found everyone, they were nearby the Chamber of Thorns. A different place had been revealed, and Naruto's pace slowed considerably as they gaped in amazement. "So THIS is the Abyss of the Horizon..." Luna said in an awed voice._

_It was like the projection had showed; a huge ocean, with lots of water and white sand. Beyond the water was mist, and MORE water, stretching as far as the eye could see._

_Thanks to the mist, the eye couldn't see all that far, but it was still impressive. In the water, paper lanterns were flowing past lazily, glowing and pulsating._

_Luna noticed Rei hunched over a boat to their right and tugged at his shirt. "Naruto, look!"_

_He spazzed out, running towards her. "REI-REI, YOU CAN'T GO TO THE OTHER SIDE YET! MIKU WILL BE TOO DEPRESSED TO FIX MY FOOD!"_

_Luna sweatdropped. "...Naruto, you know just what to say."_

_Naruto was about to shoot something back, but she smacked his arm. "I don't wanna argue about something THIS stupid at the moment, it wastes too much energy."_

"_Fiiinee...Anyway, Rei, you can't- HOLY CUPCAKE JESUS, IT'S REIKA AND SOME DUDE!" He exclaimed, pointing into the boat._

"_SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Luna hissed, gesturing to Rei as she closed Reika's open dead eyes solemnly. "It's alright...to close your eyes now..." Rei whispered, not even realizing the two loudmouthed dumbasses were there._

"_Go to the Other side...Go to the Other Side. Cast the boat...Take a ride...Cross the Rift...to the Other Side. Further...and further to the Other Side. It must sail bearing your Tattoos...and our offering of tears..." Rei recited in a hushed whisper as she cast off the boat. _

_Naruto and Luna just gaped in amazement, not believing it was finally over. "The Sleeping Priestess lullaby...Now she can rest in peace..." Luna explained in the same respectful whisper._

_Reika and Kaname's corpses soon sailed further than they could see, and it got darker and darker around them._

_Luna hid her face against Naruto, scared it was going to be just like the Chamber of Thorns, but found that she was way off._

_It suddenly got unbelievably bright, then with a noise she could only identify as a **BWOOOOOSH**, and she lifted her head. On the other shoreline, which was now visble through the mist, WAY too far away for any of them to swim at the moment...was a horizontal line of silhoutted people._

_Just standing there._

_Luna got the distinct feeling they were looking at her and the others, making her shiver. She shivered again as something cold brushed past her, and her and Naruto gasped as they noticed the silhouttes moving past them, rising from amidst the shallow water._

_Her eyes widened. "They weren't kidding. They really CAN leave now."_

"_Who?"_

"_Mini-Me and my foster mother. You were conveniently unconscious during that scenario."_

_He drooped. "Are you EVER gonna let that go?"_

"_Nope."_

"_YUU!" Rei suddenly cried out, sobbing and running through the water after one of the few figures that weren't completely silhoutted._

_Luna was about to yell after her, but Naruto covered her mouth with his hand and shook his head. "Let her go."_

_She sighed impatiently as he removed his hand. _"_But-"_

"_She deserves to talk to him, at least!"_

"_But NARUTO-"_

"_WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LET HER GO VISIT HER DEAD BOYFRIEND?"_

"_Still getting along as well as ever, I see," Kushina commented from behind Naruto, making them both jump._

* * *

"_Naruto, could you put me down?" Luna asked quietly. He complied almost immediately, rushing over to his mom._

"_Yuu, don't go! Yuu!" Rei shouted from further in the water._

_Luna walked towards the water, waiting at the edge, ready to grab her and drag her back by her hair if necessary._

_Rei continued to struggle to get to Yuu, the Tattoo threatening to take her over. "You can't leave me this time...! Please!" She sobbed._

_Luna felt the utmost sympathy for her, but she couldn't help but think, **Rei, you FOOL!**_

_She was terrified of Rei's possible fates at this point; the chances of it being a happy one were slim to null._

"_I wanna go with you...!" She sobbed, hunching over and putting her hands on her knees as she lost sight of her fiance and cried._

_Luna then noticed Yuu had stopped, and it didn't take long for Rei to realize this as well. "...You were always with me...no matter what...You gave me so much...! Because you were with me! Because you were...always with me. That's how I survived!" She told him, her voice shaking heavily with emotion._

_Yuu closed the gap between them, embracing her, making her sob again. "I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry! This time, I'm going with you...!" She declared between sobs._

_Luna sprung into action, stomping through the water. "Don't you DARE, Rei Kurosawa!" She growled._

_Yuu glanced at Luna, who was swiftly approaching, and looked down at Rei. **"Thank you...I understand how you feel. ...I understand. But...I must go. I must go alone."**_

_Luna stopped about fifteen feet away, crossing her arms. "Good man, Yuu, good man." She had a glimmer of respect for him, resisting his fiancee like that._

_She watched in awe as the Tattoo slithered off from Rei's hands, transferring to his chest, which was where her hands were currently placed._

_Rei gasped, and Yuu glowed a little, stepping back away from her, walking backwards towards the Other Side._

**"_When you...when you die, then I will be gone forever. As long as you go on living, a part of me will continue to live on..."_**

_And with that, he turned towards the other shore and continued walking. _

_

* * *

_

_Rei stood there in amazement, not quite believing what had happened._

_Luna turned away from the sight, deciding to give her some time. She walked back to the shoreline, jumping in and out of the water for a little while until realizing she was still low on energy._

_Deciding to save it, she plopped onto the sand, loving the feeling of it being between her toes. "Even if this IS the Sea of the Dead or something..It is better than never seeing a sea or feeling sand at all."_

_Luna looked at Miku, who was being comforted by Kei as her brother left. Kei was accompanied by a girl about Luna's age, who she remembered being called Mio. A crimson butterfly was fluttering around her before resting on her cheek, then her collarbone. The butterfly then left, towards the Other Side._

_Naruto was hugging his mom tightly, and she was whispering something to him. Luna liked not having anyone to be emotional about._

_But at the same time, she wondered why she couldn't see her father, at least. The one she never got to meet, not really._

_It seemed a bit unfair that everyone else got to see their loved ones, yet she didn't get a chance to get a loved one to begin with._

_Will didn't count, because she knew he'd never leave her behind. What about the ones that had?_

"_You must be Luna," A voice commented from behind her. She felt her heart rise into her throat, hoping maybe that was her father, but when she turned around she saw a man who most definitely was NOT her father._

_

* * *

_

_He looked like one of the faces on the Hokage Moutain, only handsomer in person. And when she really looked, she could identify a few features that were most definitely Naruto's as well._

_The spiky blonde hair most of all, though his was considerably longer._

_She shook her head quickly, not quite believing what she was seeing. "You're not Luna?" He asked, looking confused._

_Luna mentally kicked herself at her stupidity before nodding. "Sorry, yes, I am. I was...just a little shocked, is all."_

_He smiled and held out a hand, helping her up. "I getchya. That happens a lot. I'm Minato Namikaze."_

_She nodded slowly. "O-Okay. I knew you were carved into a mountain, but I never knew your name. I always just called you Mr. Hokage."_

_He chuckled. "Mr. Hokage, huh? Catchy." She found herself smiling, though she had no idea why. _

"_I wanted to thank you for what you did for Naruto."_

_Luna's brows furrowed. "What I did? When?" Minato paused before answering. "Actually, that's a good question. You've done so many things already. When you were brave enough to stop him, when you gave all you had to heal him, when you became a trusted voice of reason for him..." He glanced at Naruto and Kushina, shaking his head as they played Rock, Paper, Scissors._

"_He's WAY too much like his mother sometimes. A voice of reason was well needed. I'm glad he gained one from someone like you."_

_She couldn't stop her smile; hopefully this was just something Minato caused and it wouldn't be permanent. _

_Resisting the urge to smile was all that kept her from constant teasing at the hands of that DUMBASS over there._

_Minato grinned. "You look just like your mother, especially when you smile. Except your eyes. Those're most definitely Mitsuru's." He crossed his arms and shook his head. "Me and your parents used to have the most hilarious fun together..."_

_Luna bit her lip thoughtfully. "Minato, may I ask you something?"_

"_Of course."_

"_Did my parents love me?" She asked earnestly. An unreadable expression crossed his face, but it was soon followed by understanding. He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it briefly. "More than you could possibly know."_

_He suddenly laughed to himself. "In fact, they used to talk to Kira's belly at you all the time. It was more than a little disturbing to the rest of us, a bit soft for ninjas...until Kushina was pregnant with Naruto and we started doing the same thing."_

_She laughed too at the mental image, and they both turned to their right as they heard a rather loud "THERE you are!"._

_

* * *

_

_Kushina stomped over to Minato, hands on her hips. "Leaving me to figure out this confusing maze of a Manor ALL ON MY OWN, did you? YOU'VE GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO , MINATO YAMIKAZE!"_

_Minato held up his hands in surrender, laughing nervously, and Luna backed away with a smile. "I think I'll leave you to...that..."_

_Kushina flashed her a mischievous grin before turning her glare back onto her husband. Luna turned to Naruto, who was watching his parents with a huge smirk._

"_He sure looks familiar. You never told me your dad was Mr. Hokage," She accused. He grinned. "You never asked!"_

"_Why you little- ..." She paused, sighing and shaking her head. "Nope, I'm not gonna be mad at you. Not in a sanctuary like this."_

_Naruto's grin grew even more. "Well, look at that. Loon's learning." Her temple throbbed. "You're not making this very easy."_

_As if on cue, Miku sighed happily from Luna's right, making her jump. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I love happy endings."_

_Luna sweatdropped as they watched Kushina and Minato have a battle of wits. "How is that happy? Being a fellow woman, I know for a fact Minato better be fearing for his life." _

_Naruto snickered. "Ha! You called yourself a **woman**!" They ignored him, and Miku smiled. "Yeah, but they love each other, so you always know it'll end well."_

_Luna considered that before nodding. "Perhaps you're right. I'm just glad this whole ordeal is over."_

_Miku nodded. "I know! Can you believe that the Tattoo could be removed by something as simple as the right person touching your hand?"_

_Luna nodded happily. "I know, right! ...Hey...wait...JUST by touching your hand?" Miku gave her a weird look. "Well, technically, it could've been any part of you. But yeah, just one touch for a long enough amount of time, and it comes right off, according to Kei. How'd you get YOUR Tattoo off?"_

_Luna's eye twitched menacingly, turning towards Naruto, who was backing away slowly. Minato and Kushina had already concluded their argument, and were watching on in amusement._

_She advanced towards Naruto, who was laughing nervously. _"_Now Loon, let's not do anything RASH..."_

"_RASH? NARUTO UZUMAKI, WHEN I GET THROUGH WIITH YOU, YOU'LL HAVE MORE THAN A RASH TO MAKE YOU MISERABLE!"_

"_Not THAT kind of rash, moron!"_

"_Oh, I know what YOU meant!" She growled, chasing him down the shoreline. "GAH! MOM, DAD, SAVE ME!"_

"_You're on your own, son!" Kushina yelled after him. Minato shook his head. "Hell hath no fury like a perverted teenage boy scorned."_

_She smirked and kissed her husband's cheek. "You would know."_

_**

* * *

**_

_**THREE ****DAYS LATER...**_

She'd never worn clothes of mourning before. It was odd. Luna had borrowed them from Miku, so they weren't exactly the best fit since Miku was...well, TALLER, there, she admitted it.

She climbed the hill to the older graves in the cemetary; Will had said they were buried near Akio's elders, they had been close when they were alive.

It didn't take too long for her to find them. "Susanna Sasaki and Akio Sasaki – Beloved Friends, Children, and Parents. 2002," Luna read slowly before sighing and getting on her knees.

Miku wouldn't mind a few dewy grass stains on her kimono, and even if she did, Luna and Naruto would be leaving for Konoha in three days or less.

He insisted they wait that long so she could get all her energy back, but she figured he just wasn't ready to leave yet.

She didn't voice that theory, because she wasn't too keen on leaving, either.

"Here's a lullaby to close your eyes...It was always you that I despised..." Luna couldn't help but sing in a wavering voice.

She could've sworn she heard a rather young voice singing back to her in the wind that ruffled her hair, but she couldn't make out the words, so she wasn't even sure that she had really heard anything.

"Figured you'd be here." Luna didn't turn around. "I figured you would not be able to stay out of my business," She replied as Naruto stood to her left.

"I have never visited someone's grave before. Nor been to a funeral."

"Not even Alex's?" He asked hesitantly, not sure how she'd respond.

She simply shook her head. "There was no funeral to go to, and no grave to visit. They never did tell me what they did with him after I killed him..."

He was quiet, looking at the pictures (she knew they were copies of the originals, because the real ones were in Will's album he hid in his room at the Agency) and random knicknacks placed by their graves.

"Looks like you and your brother aren't the only ones they left behind." She nodded before shaking her head. "I just wish...I had been able to chase Snake Man away. Before he could cause all this. It doesn't seem fair, does it? That I get to keep on living when good people like that-" She gestured at the graves- "have to die?"

"Nope, you're right. It's not fair. Usually the villain gets some kind of hit from karma and dies or something."

He sat on his knees as well, squeezing her shoulder just like his dad had back in the Abyss of the Horizon. "So I guess it's a good thing you're not the villain here, then."

"Then who the hell is?"

"Snake Man, duh. And I guess it's a good thing that we're gonna make him pay for it." She blinked at him. "We are?"

"Yep."

"And when do you plan on us doing that? Before or after this Orochimaru man is defeated? And what about Alex? He might be a hindrance."

He shrugged. "I didn't say it'd happen right away. Look on the bright side; it's been eight years, so when we DO, he won't know what hit him."

Luna crossed her arms. "Yes he will. And if he does not remember me, I will be sure to remind him _after _I hit him."

He laughed. "That's not what I meant, but that sounds good." Luna looked at the grave pensively.

"...Naruto?"

"Huh?"

"What's heaven?"

* * *

He gave her a strange look. "How do you not know about heaven? Ichigo said you even mentioned heaven and hell when you told him about the Agency."

Her temple throbbed. "He wasn't supposed to say ANYTHING about when I told him about the Agency...!" Then she sighed. "I know the names 'heaven' and 'hell', but I have yet to have anyone tell me what they are. I guess they assumed I already knew...Susanna mentioned going there. To heaven. What is it?"

Naruto hesitated, trying to think of a good way to put it. "Well...No one knows for sure. But I hear it's awesome. It's where people go when they die. And they can watch over the people they left behind. And then when their FAMILIES die, they all meet up again."

She nodded slowly. "...I am not exactly sure how fun this 'Disney World' Mini-Me mentioned is, but I think heaven sounds amazing."

"Me too. You know what else sounds amazing?"

"No."

"Food. Miku's food. We should go get some, she was almost done when I left." Luna nodded. "Okay."

Naruto helped her up with a smirk. "Luna Sasaki agrees on something Naruto Uzumaki said. Next thing you know, snowballs are gonna be flying through hell and pigs are gonna fly."

"And then Naruto'll be in the shower with Luna."

"REALLY?"

"Yep! ...When snowballs fly through hell and pigs fly."

"Dammit, getting my hopes up like that!" He whined, making her laugh. Luna paused and picked two random wildflowers before running back towards the graves. "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!"

"WHAT?"

"Is it not customary to leave these on the graves?" She asked while setting them down gently. Naruto smiled and put his hand on the small of her back as they continued down the hill. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

Mio was at the base of the hill, staring down at something with a puzzled look. As they got closer, they discovered it was Luna's Camera Obscura. She could tell because it had an orange-tinted slash across its side from Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra.

Just like her side still did. Which, luckily, he hadn't seen yet. She had healed it enough to make the pain ease, but planned on asking Sakura to heal it further, seeing as she too had been injured by Naruto's chakra once before.

"What is it, Mio?" Luna asked worriedly, hoping she hadn't seen a picture of the Fox somehow.

She shook her head. "I was taking a picture of you guys up there – y'know, since you two not killing each other's so rare sometimes..." They both sweatdropped at that before exchanging a glance and nodding.

"Yeah, that's true," They agreed in unison.

Mio smirked, then handed the Camera to Luna. "I just caught something weird in the picture. It looked like two ghosts, but...I don't recognize 'em as anything I've encountered."

Luna was surprised she took the sight of ghosts so well, seeing as ghosts played such a big part in her twin sister Mayu's death.

She had revealed to Luna late the other night, her second night out of the hospital, that she had been drawn into the Manor because she strangled her own twin at her urging, to complete an ancient ritual performed in All God's Village.

A ritual that the last twins, Yae and Sae, had failed. She had also learned that Yae had escaped, and grown up to be Miku's great-grandmother.

In a nutshell, ghosts were as common in Mio's history as victims were in Luna's. "Well, what did they look like?" Naruto asked.

"One was this really tall pretty woman, and then there was this little kid. Kinda looked like you, Luna. They were holding hands and looking at you two with these big grins..."

He looked at Luna warily, but she just smiled and wiped at her eyes. "Oh, I see. Don't worry about it. They won't hurt anyone."

Mio nodded, then grinnned. "Miku sent me to come get you guys. I told her you were probably busy, and from what I saw down HERE, I was definitely interrupting something...or a POTENTIAL something..."

Their temples throbbed. "...Mio, just walk."

"Fiiiine," She sighed, stomping ahead of them. Naruto and Luna shook their heads and followed her.

Luna was glad her necklace was underneath the funeral kimono she had borrowed once Naruto's hand returned to the small of her back, because otherwise he would've teased her for its sudden bright purple glow FOREVER.

She heard that voice in the wind again, but it seemed like she was the only one who had. **"...Here's a lullaby to close your eyes, goodbye, goodbye..."**

And then it was gone, the wind becoming nothing more than a chilly fall breeze as dead leaves crunched under her feet.

She remembered something that had been said the day Rei set the spirits free, when she and Miku were sitting with Luna on one of Japan's beaches during their first sunset that wasn't followed by a horrific visit to a dilapidated Manor.

Miku had suddenly said the most profound thing Luna had ever heard. **_"I don't think I'll ever understand why we survived...But now I realize why we were allowed to live..." _**

Rei had nodded. **_"I'll go on living. Even with the pain."_**

Luna took that to heart. Going on living, even with her pain. She knew that with time, she would forget the people she lost, people she had loved, and the people she just plain felt remorse over killing.

The Tattoo was gone, as was her constant reminder. Memories wear thin with time, even though she felt like an earring without its needle.

She would forget the immense pain of it all, it would all fade, the voices would vanish amidst the noises of the crowds.

There'd probably be a moment where she'd fall apart, lose her grip, because she would always be like an earring without its needle.

She would eventually forget though, without a trace, and the voices that caused so much pain would become nothing but static.

"I don't think I'll understand why I survived, but...I think I know why I was allowed to live," She declared.

Naruto glanced at her. "I do too."

"You do?"

"Yep." He leaned his head towards her ear. "Because you're too irreplaceable to leave us yet."

Stupid Naruto. Now her necklace would NEVER stop glowing.


	46. The Epic Q & A Session!

**Well well well!**

**Technically, this fic has already reached its end. Sad face. BUT, at least that won't be the end of Naruto and Luna's adventures (more like misadventures), and at least your questions have SOME hope of being answered in a way that doesn't confuse the hell out of everyone but me XD**

**SO!**

**ON TO THE QUESTIONS!**

**Oh, wait, ALSO: I decided that since I'm lazy and would have to hunt down each and every name of the people who sent them to me when I just kinda wrote down the questions on this sheet of paper to my right as i got them, and since none of you specifically mentioned wanting your name, I'll just post the question and answer it. Okay? I THOUGHT YA'LL WOULD AGREE! 8D**

**So. On to that. [And yes, these are almost exactly typed up in the way they were asked to me.]**

**

* * *

**

**QUESTION NUMBER ONE!**

**_"Sooo, on a scale of 1 to 10, how hot IS Miku, exactly? 0_0"_**

**-**Well, that's really a matter of opinion. From a straight girl's standpoint, I'd say she's not terribly unfortunate looking. She's actually pretty attractive, but i don't know how HOT she is. I'll just go ahead and say this: the best website for questions on Fatal Frame is h t t p : / / w w w . c a m e r a s l e n s . c o m / f a t a l f r a m e w i k i (no spaces). They've got pictures, notes, items, list of ghosts, the works.

**QUESTION NUMBER TWO!**

_**"How exactly would u describe luna's and naruto's relationship :)"**_

-Hmmm, that's a toughie. They've got a "special" kind of relationship, i think. On one hand, you've got them pretending to date back in Konoha, so they're used to having to be close a lot. On the OTHER hand, you've got Luna having issues when it comes to emotions, so half the time she's just "winging it" when it comes to figuring out what exactly's happening when they interact sometimes. Obviously they care for each other, and you could definitely infer there's some sort of attraction there, but...I'm probably reading into this WAY more than you wanted me to XD.

In a nutshell, they're on a fine line between friends and friends suffering from _tons _of tension, sexual and otherwise.

**QUESTION NUMBER THREE!**

_**"I've heard that in one ending, Kei/Ky dies. Is that true?"**_

-YES. I thought about doing that, but Naruto would be too thrilled by that XD. But yes, in the first playthrough of FF3, he dies. He just leaves an ash stain on Rei's couch that she, like, never cleans up XD. BUT, if you go to the room Kei/Ky went to in my fic where he got the picture (which Naruto insisted was him in a weird photo shoot) and the earring, Reika spares him because it was Kaname's, and he lives. There's also a version called "Happy Ending," but I'll get into that in a few more questions.

**QUESTION NUMBER FOUR!**

_**"IF Naruto had a tattoo...what color would it be? XD"**_

-Weeeellll, if I had to answer that...which obviously I do...probably a crimson-orange or something, only very dark shades of them. Y'know, 'cause of the chakra and all. Also, the chracter's tattoos - In Rei's and Luna's cases for sure, but i think it's true for the others, too - their tattoos are dark shades of their favorite colors. Rei's is blue and Luna's is like a bright lime green, hence why their tattoos have dark undertones of blue and green.

**QUESTION NUMBER FIVE!**

_**"Why DOES Reika have no shirt? 0_0' "**_

-GOOD QUESTION! ...We may never know. But none of the Sleeping Priestesses BEFORE her did either, so either they were just misinformed about the forecast or it's part of the ritual or something. XD i honestly don't know!

**QUESTION NUMBER SIX!**

**_"Y did naruto go from miku to luna so easily during the whole flirting thing?"_**

-I'm guessing you mean how come he didn't flirt so much with Miku after a few chapps? Mostly because...hmm...probably because all she did in reaction to it was giggle XD. That, and once Kei/Ky made his entrance and started "putting the moves" on Luna, he saw it as competition. Kei/Ky was kinda like a Sasuke for him, i guess...huh...never thought about that until now! But yeah. And then after a while, things just got so terrifying and serious that there wasn't much flirting going on in the first place XD

**QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN!**

_**"was that bird is the word thing from FAMILY GUY? :DDDD"**_

-INDEED IT WAS! GOOD JOB, READER! ...Ahhh, Family Guy. Good times. Jeez, i dunno how Naruto's gonna react once he sees that episode. Hope Luna's not in the room... XD

**QUESTION NUMBER EIGHT!**

_**"Is Naruto still gonna call her Loon in I hate you my friend? It's cute ^_^ "**_

-Probably, yeah. That's another thing. i applaud those who took the time to read this fic. Because a lot of stuff about Luna's past, and a new enemy in the form of Snake Man, and even some stuff about Naruto (and perhaps new people to randomly pop into Konoha one of these days at the worst possible time? muahaha!) were revealed in it, so at least you'll know what's going on if it's mentioned in "I Hate You, My Friend". Which i guarantee some of it, if not all of it, will be.

**QUESTION NUMBER NINE!**

_**"Why does Britney confuse naruto and kei when they look nothing alike? XD"**_

-Mostly because Luna's Past Self convinced Britney (aka Kyouka Kuze) into thinking Naruto was her lover (aka Akito), and then she saw Kei/Ky after a few visits and saw the uncanny resemblance (the resemblance really is pretty creepy 0_0). I think mostly because...well...COME ON! She fricking ripped her hair out and PINNED IT TO THE WALL! ...I wouldn't be surprised if she has mental issues and can't distinguish one dude from the other. XD

**QUESTION NUMBER TEN!**

_**"Wat's the name of that song luna and mini her sing all the time, the one that pisses naruto off cuz it reminds him of kushina?"**_

-THAT would be "Room of Angel," by Akira Yamaoka and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, from Silent Hill 4. You should look it up on y o u t u b e, it's slow but amazing. I just heard that and thought it fit their pasts scarily perfectly, when you think about it.

**

* * *

**

**QUESTION NUMBER ELEVEN!**

_**"How old are the Fatal Frame 3 main characters?"**_

-WEELLL, Miku's 17 or 19, i get mixed results on that one... anyway, Kei's about 26, and Rei's 23. Yuu's permanently 24 XD.

**QUESTION NUMBER TWELVE!**

_**"WILL Naruto ever get his BELOVED SHOWER SEQUENCE with Luna? XD"**_

- ...YOU'LL HAVE TO SEE! MUAHAHAHAAA! XD

**QUESTION NUMBER THIRTEEN! OH NOOO-ES! UNLUCKY NUMBER!**

_**"Isn't Snake AWESOME? XDDD"**_

- YAY! Someone besides me and Red know who that is! And yes, he's awesome. AwesomeSAUCE, to be exact. For those who dont know who the hell im talking about, Snake (formally called pyschadelicsnake on y o u t u b e. and yes, the "y" DOES come before the "s" in his name) does walkthroughs on horror games with HILARIOUS commentary. He's British, cusses rather frequently (especially when he's scared), and holds a record for the most subscribed in the UK. I dunno if he ranked first or not, i just know he's way up there. ANYWAY, yeah, i used his walkthrough and watched it for the THIRD time to get everything right on this fic. Most of Naruto's funniest comments concerning the Manor of Sleep (including calling the ghosts weird names and referring to it as the Manor of GAY) are directly from Snake. So let's give him a huge round of applause! *claps as if expecting ya'll to clap with me* XD

**QUESTION NUMBER FOURTEEN!**

_**"will kushina and minato show up again? that was hilarious :D"**_

- Hmmm...Perhaps. I'm not sure. But if i could somehow work them in, im sure i will. It all depends on how things go :)

**QUESTION NUMBER FIFTEEN!**

_**"HOW the HELL did that kaname lover dude end up in that boat with reika in the last chapp? 0_0"**_

-OH NOOO-ES! I KNEW SOMEONE WOULD ASK THAT! ...Well, due to my crazy thought process, a lot of readers were left in the dark about that since Luna and Naruto weren't with Rei when she fought Reika, so i apologize. Especially to those who'd never played the game before. Soo, here's the entire rundown on Reika and Kaname, and how he ended up in the boat. AHEM:

Britney gave birth to Kaname, who was a boy, and was smuggled to the village below the Kuze Shrine/Manor/Who Gives A Fu*k (the Shrine's located on a mountain). He was adopted by the Ototsuki family, hence the name Kaname Ototsuki. When he was older, he met Reika. They became good friends, and fell in love, soon becoming...well, lovers. Kaname left for reasons unknown, probably on business or something, who flipping knows. While he was gone, some mysterious tragedy struck the village, and Reika was the only survivor. Besides Kaname, the SLACKER, who decided not to be there when it all went down. XD

Some people think the village was ALL GOD'S VILLAGE, which is where Mio and Mayu were (i'll explain that later), but i dont know for sure. EITHER WAY, she went to a neighboring village and still hadn't seen Kaname since. In that village, she was chosen to be the next Sleeping Priestess by Yashuu Kuze, the Kuze Family Head who always went looking for new Priestesses when the time came.

While Reika prepared to be impaled and get her tattoos and whatnot, Kaname kept having dreams about her and the Manor of Sleep. He talked to Dr. Asou about these dreams on the cassette tape labeled "Ototsuki". Finally, he just couldn't stand it anymore and, after finding out it was the _Kuze Shrine _he kept dreaming of, went after her.

Amane, his half-sister, recognized him almost immediately because he had the Echo Stone Earring. She snuck him into the Shrine after Reika had been impaled, so he could see her one last time. This was a huge (and even though it was romantic, EXTREMELY STUPID) risk, because men were heavily forbidden to go anywhere near the Priestess without a mask covering their face. And they especially weren't allowed in there while the ritual was going on.

So Kaname showed up down in the Chamber of Thorns and found Reika impaled. For reasons I'll never comprehend, instead of assuming she's long dead like a normal person, he proceeds to call her name. Reika actually RESPONDS by opening her eyes and, happy she got to see him one last time like she kept whining about wanting to do, she smiled. Of course, BUT OF COURSE, Yashuu Kuze comes in with a fricking meat cleaver (No, seriously, it's a meat cleaver!) and kills Reika's beloved Kaname right in front of her. Needless to say, that causes the Tattoo to spread to her eyes. NOW, unlike those with the CURSE of the Tattoo, when the Tattoo reaches a PRIESTESS'S EYES, the Rift opens. The Rift inflicts pain and suffering on everyone and lets it seep into everyone's dreams.

That's why she's impaled; to keep her from waking up and wandering, which would make the Rift spread. SO basically, Reika was consumed with grief and hatred, wandering the Manor of Sleep for years and years and making ghosts out of everyone in her wake until Rei Kurosawa and Luna started having dreams of the Manor and finally got her ass to the Other Side.

...SO YEAH. THAT'S why she's in the boat with her lover. XD

**QUESTION NUMBER SIXTEEN!**

_**"Was Kayako in her Ju-On or The Grudge appearance(it changes slightly since in Ju-On she's covered in blood, hehe)"**_

-She's talking about the chapp with Naruto's makeout dream, for those who might've forgotten. ANYWAY. Definitely her Ju-On appearance! Because...y'know, it's NARUTO's dreams, so we can already expect it to be as fu*ked-up as possible XD. Plus, i could totally picture the bloodied-up Kayako just sitting there all chill, sipping her tea in her dainty porcelain cup. XD So yeah!

**QUESTION NUMBER EIGHTEEN!**

_**"Wat does "C'est L'Amour" mean? You know, becauz i fail :P"**_

- Haha, it translates into "It's Love". Now, before you read too into that, i'd like to just say that it was also the song i was listening to at the time i wrote up that chapp. C'est L'Amour, by Rosi Golan. XD

**QUESTION NUMBER NINETEEN!**

_**"Who's Ruri again?"**_

-Ruri is Miku's cat that she got as a gift from her parents (who're dead now). She's cute, but there's this one part where if you don't immediately do this one thing the game hints heavily for you to do once you wake up, i cant remember what at the moment, go towards Yuu's Altar Room (which is TOTALLY out of your way, i remember that much) and you'll see Ruri hissing at the room's entrance, at something you can't see. When you get closer to her, she runs off around the corner. The only door down that way is the closet door, and if you open it, she jumps out at you XD.

How she got behind the closed closet door is still one of the Famed Fatal Frame III Mysteries 0_0

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY!**

**_"How long will we have to wait for naruto and luna to have another epic moment like with that lo mein? XDDD"_**

- THAT, dear reader, is a MYSTERY! muahahaha! Though I'm sure there'll be plenty more where that came from X)

**

* * *

**

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-ONE!**

_**"Will we ever have that hilarious Kei/Ky VS. Naruto drama again once this is over? XD"**_

- Hmmm...perhaps! It all depends. If not, I'm sure Naruto will find SOMEONE to butt heads with. Besides Luna, of course, that's a given XD

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-TWO!**

_**"How many times have u played FF3?"**_

- Exactly four times, working on my fifth...but technically it's my second since i've had to restart so many times due to people wanting to WATCH ME PLAY FROM THE BEGINNING, and im just nice enough to comply! UGGGH! XD

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-THREE!**

_**"Whooo exactly IS that mio chick?"**_

-Mio Amakura is the twin sister of Mayu Amakura and they're Kei/Ky's nieces. Their mom is currently hospitalized, all we know is that she's very ill.

They're from Fatal Frame Two: Crimson Butterfly. They visit the spot where they used to play as children, which is now the Minikami Dam Site, when Mayu - who walks with a limp after a childhood accident - follows a mysterious crimson butterfly deep into the woods. Mio is obliged by the age-old Sister Code to follow after her, and the two girls are led to All God's Village. While it seems abandoned, it's jam-packed with ghosts who seem to REALLY want nothing more but to screw them over. "Forever reliving the day of the failed ceremony that trapped them in this state."

Mayu soon falls under the village's spell (in my opinion, she sniffed some crack or something and decided "OOOH! I SHOULD FOLLOW THE BLOOD-RED BUTTERFLIES! THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ME!"). As Mio chases after her, she slowly learns of the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, the failure of which caused the disaster known as the Repentance, which shrouded the village in darkness. Under the village there's a system of freaky-ass tunnels, and at its deepest point is a deep hole called the Hellish Abyss, where the souls of the dead collect.

In order to keep this hole sealed, a pair of twins born in the village are required to perform a ritual every 10 yrs, in which the elder twin strangles the younger one. Then the soul of the younger twin stays to guard the village as a crimson butterfly. The last pair of twins, Yae and Sae Kurosawa (who apparently DON'T have any relation to Rei), tried to escape this fate, aided by Itsuki Tachibana, their friend and Remaining twin of the previous unsuccessful ritual. During their escape attempt, Sae was caught and brought back to the village, while Yae hauled ass outta there and didn't realize her sister was gone since she was told "DON'T LOOK BACK, DAMMIT!" ...Well, that's not a direct quote, but still XD.

The villagers tried to improvise and complete the ritual with a single twin, and hung Sae and threw her into the Abyss. The attempt failed, and resulted in the Repentance and the disappearance of the village from the map.

The canon ending says that Mayu made Mio strangle her, she was thrown into the Abyss, and Mio was safely led out of the village by the crimson butterflies, basically. Hence why she was drawn to the Manor of Sleep.

Wouldn't YOU be guilty after that?

ALSO, Miku's from Fatal Frame One, but i wont torture you by going into that. Just look up that website way up by the first question on this thing if you wanna know more about her.

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-FOUR!**

_**"WILL LUNA EVER GET HER FLAVOR-BLASTED GOLDFISH? T_T"**_

- INDEED SHE WILL! EVENTUALLY! AND IM SURE SHE'LL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL! XD

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE!**

_**"do you know...THE WORD? XD"**_

-INDEED I DO! But for National Security purposes, I'm obliged to keep it in secrecy. 8D

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-SIX!**

_**"besides Room of Angel, if you had to pick ONE SONG to sum up the characters and their relationships, what would they be? Ruri included? XDDD"**_

-AHHH, A CHALLENGE! Hmmmm:

Rei: Probably "1000 Oceans" by Tokio Hotel, "Just a Dream" by Nelly (though altered a little, obviously) orrrr "Koe" by Tsukiko Amano (Koe also happens to be the theme song for FF3, played during her scene with Yuu at the Abyss of the Horizon AND during the end credits XD)

Miku: "Stand in the Rain" by Superchick, maybe? Or maybe even "Teenagers" by Hayley Williams. Or "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day, or "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park.

Kei/Ky: Hahaha for whatever reason, "I'm Looking Through You" by The Beatles and "Pretty Fly For a White Guy" come to mind XD

Luna: "No More Sorrow" by Linkin Park, "Hold My Heart" by Sara Bareilles, "Uncharted" by Sara Bareilles, "Oh My God" by Ida Maria, "Numb" by Linkin Park, "Misguided Ghosts" by Paramore, aaaanddd maybe "New Day" by Tamar Kaprelian.

Naruto: Hmmm...maybe "Misery" by Maroon 5? "Lose Control" by Evanescence possibly, "Giving Up" by Linkin Park (mainly when he gives in to the Nine Tails). Or maybe even "Stupify" by Disturbed. Mainly this line: "Why/ do you like playing around with/ my/ narrow scope of reailty? I can feel it all start slipping, I think I'm breaking down, Oh.."

ACTUALLY..."Stupify" could fit everyone's experiences within the Manor! Epiphany!

Anyway. Relationship-wise?

Rei/Yuu: "1000 Oceans" by Tokio Hotel, "Koe" by Tsukiko Amano (those 2 songs look familiar? XD) "If It Means a Lot to You" by A Day to Remember, ummm..."When You're Gone" by Avril Lavigne...ummm...

Miku/Naruto: Hmmm...maybe "Contagious" by Avril Lavigne? Orrr..."Ass Like That" by Eminem? XD haha just kidding. hmmm toughie...I'll have to get back to you on that one, "Contagious" just seems to fit the best XD

Kei/Ky/Naruto: (wow, that looks like a freaky love triangle or something XD) Ummmm lemme see. "Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)" by Kaiser Chiefs, mainly because of the title- i mean COME ON, right? Aaaand... "I Hate You (My Friend)" by John Oszajca, which inspired the title of my original fic XD. Aaaand ummm, i can't really think of too many others, surprisingly.

Luna/Kei/Ky: Hmmmm..."I'll Look After You" by The Fray, maybe? Mainly just because of the title, but i guess the lyrics might LOOSELY fit, too. Umm "If We Ever Meet Again" by Timbaland and Katy Perry, again mostly because of the title XD...hmmm...I'll have to seriously THINK about this one, if ya'll get any ideas lemme know! XD...

Luna/Naruto: Oh jeez, this might take a while to list 'em all. Welll, there's "Animal" by Neon Trees, "Hazy (ft. William Fitzsimmons)" by Rosi Golan, "Stays Four the Same" by The Ready Set, "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5, "When the Day Met the Night" by Panic! At the Disco, "Make Me Better" by Fabolous (ft. Neyo), "Fallen" by Death in the Park (ft. Hayley Williams), aaand...that's it. I know this list is a ton bigger than the others, but c'mon, admit it, it's MUCH EASIER to find songs describing THEIR relationship because it's not as clearly defined, y'know? SO YEAH.

Ruri/Everybody: "I Hate Everything About You" by 3 Days Grace...just kidding XD. Hmmm...actually, YEAH! If i were her, i'd hate everything about everyone too after having to witness all the stuff that that poor cat's had to witness! XD

OH! Also, i know this is random, but for that scene where Kei/Ky meets Kushina and goes all googly-eyed, i can TOTALLY picture that going with "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne...love that song! XD

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-SEVEN!**

_**"Ky, Naruto, Justin Bieber. You gotta kill one, marry one, do one. QUICK! GO! XDDD"**_

- Okay, I've got this, I'VE GOT THIS! Hmmm...If i married Ky, he'd probably be naggy. But he'd be good support since HE went to COLLEGE. So i guess i could MARRY him, and do Naruto. Because I HAVE TO shoot Justin Bieber XD. Wow, that was tougher than i thought. It may not seem like i thought about it, but i promise i heavily considered my options XD.

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-EIGHT!**

_**"Can you tell us one TINY, TEENY, TINY-TEENY TEENY-TINY detail as to what's gonna happen plot-wise for I Hate You, My Friend? I SAID PLEASE! T_T"**_

- GAH! DON'T SHED TEARS! YOU DID SAY PLEASE! SO I GUESS I CAN TELL YOU ONE TINY HINT! ...Snake Man, Orochimaru, and Alex are VERY closely interlinked. And The Agency WILL cause mega trouble for Luna and Naruto. That's all i can say. MUAHAHA! ...But please don't cry if that doesn't help XD ^_^'

**QUESTION NUMBER TWENTY-NINE!**

**_"Is it true there r different endings for FF3?"_**

- YES. 3 of them, to be exact. THIS is the question i was talking about earlier when someone mentioned Kei/Ky dying. Sorry it's so far down my list ^_^' But yes, there are. In the normal ending, after the credits finish rolling, Rei and Miku are shown on the beach together, alive and well, watching the sun setting or coming up, im not sure which because I fail XD.

That's the incident Luna mentions, the one concerning the profound thing Miku says that Luna then quotes to Naruto. That's how the ending goes, only it's got a COOL PICTURE! XD

There is no mention concerning Mio or Kei/Ky's survival in that one.

There's another one called Photograph Ending, in which Rei wakes up and the cutscene is cut off right before she starts crying (when she wakes up from the last nightmare and all that just happened sinks in for her, she cries and the credits roll. That's how it works in the NORMAL ending). As the credits roll, photographs of the characters show up through the credits. We see Miku and Rei developing photographs, Kei/Ky waking up on the couch in Rei's living room, Kei/Ky going with Mio to see the Minikami Dam (the same location I mentioned while explaining Fatal Frame II in painfully lengthy detail), and then finally the entire group being introduced to one another.

However, you have to Complete the Echo Stone Earring Sidequest during Hour X or XII and beat the game once normally to be able to unlock the Photograph Ending.

In both endings, the interaction between Rei and Yuu remain the same. I just kinda blended these two endings together, since it's never been established which ending's canon. I figured "why the hell not," you know?

**QUESTION NUMBER THIRTY!**

**_"Wat was ur fave chaptr of the story? ^_^"_**

- ...Oh crap. XD so many possible answers! But if i had to pick...I'd saaay...either the two hospital chapps, the one where Luna and Naruto explored Tokyo, the ending of course (since it was so EPIC! XD), orrrr the ones with all the Ghost Groper jokes in almost the very beginning XD

**QUESTION NUMBER THIRTY-ONE! OUR FINAL QUESTION!**

**_"Wuld you consider doing a fic later on where luna and naruto go through...like, one of the Silent Hills or ANY other video game series? just for the hell of it? IT WOULD MAKE MY DAY! 8D"_**

-Hmmm. I'll leave that up to the readers. This fic was inspired by my love of FF3, so I'll let the readers AS A MAJORITY decide what sort of video game i should put them in, IF they want me to at all. Maybe ya'll could review this chapp or future chapps of I Hate You, My Friend about it. It's up to ya'll at this point, unless i get stuck on I Hate You, My Friend and decide "SCREW YOU, READERS, I NEED A FILLER!" :D

_**

* * *

**_

**...Weeeell, lookie there! Thirty-one questions, straight up, and all of them answered to the best of your poor spazzy author's ability! XD. Ya'll, i hope you enjoyed this fic as much as i did, because i sure thought it was one hell of a ride :) Let's see:**

**New Friends for Naruto and Luna? Check.**

**Tons of Violence at Poor Naruto's Expense So The Author Can Have a Good Laugh and Rage Fix For the Day? Check.**

**Perviness at its Best? TRIPLE CHECK TO THE FOURTH POWER.**

**Pasts Revealed About the Main Characters? Check.**

**Progression between Naruto and Luna? Check.**

**All-Around AWESOMESAUCERY? CHEEEECKK! 8D**

**Thanks so much for reading this fic, and I'll be updating I Hate You, My Friend where this one left off shortly. TILL NEXT TIME, GUYS! **

**8D **

**XD**

**:**_**D**_


End file.
